Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30
Almost Lost His Sweetheart.

AlmOSI LOSI Ills sweetheart.
I'VE meet with many amusing and pa
thetic instances, while some of the requests
we receive on the part Of unthinking In
dividuals would upset our entire system
were they granted; it is almost paralyzing
what nerve some people will display re-
garding their mail
"a short time ago a young man came
into my office and asked me to search for
letter he had mailed the night before and
to allow him to withdraw it; The with
drawal of mail once 1t is posted is difficult
and somewhat complicated matter. sur
rounded by many safeguards prescribed in
the postal regulations to insure against
fraud. 1 happened to know, however that
he was a resident Of my neighborhood, and
also knew the addressee of the letter-his
sweetheart.
He confided to me that in fit Of anger
following a quarrel with his fancee the
night before he had written her a letter
which in his calm moments in the morning
he deeply regretted. and unless l could
catch up with that unfortunate missve life
would be dreary waste to him. l made it
a special case. and we searched hurriedly
through the mail in the Office, but the let
ter was not found. l then telephoned to the
station from which it would be delivered
and was lucky enough to catch it up in the
carriers mail just he was about to set
out on his route, and upon which it would
have been surely delivered. 1t was a close
shave, but a miss Is as good as mile in
love affairs, and as the particular miss in
this Casa very lovely girl-afterward be-
came the wife of my agitated young friend
their quarrel must have been of short dura-
ton; but suppose that letter had been de-
liyered into her hands?
Again, our business men will often COM
plete a contract by mail, enter into some
business transaction. which, after the post
ing of the letter, they would either annul or
modify. AS it is my understanding that
such a contract by mail cannot legally be
changed by telegraph, we often receive
some urgent calls from our business men
for withdrawal of such pieces of mail. We
will, of course, withdraw or stop a letter
in transit for any of our patrons where the
instance comes within the postal regula-
tons and our patrons can comply there
with but 1t cannot be done offhand, and
this the public should know. otherwise the
safety of the mails would be seriously en-
dangered.
Instances Of monumental Gall"
Now. as have explained to you, with
our daily and Sunday delivery system, a
very few hours need elapse from period to
period that any resident must wait for his
mail. II he cannot wait this short time
the box system offers an opportunity for
him to come into the Office at any hour Of
the day and night and get his mail there
eral delivery window also at any hour
Yet, in spite Of all of these facilities and
conveniences. nearly every day we have
one or two requests from persons that an
as a rule they have no claim whatso-
ever for exceptional treatment-and that
they may be allowed to present themselves
at the carriers windows at any hour of
the day or night and have the office force
stop its regular duties and hunt, out of the
tens Of thousands Of pieces of mail matter
on the floor, their own particular mail.
Eyes. it does seem incredible that any