The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-12-24
MODERN SANTA IS
A MAIL CARRIER
Uncle Sans Postmen Will
Make Deliveries in City
and County Christmas.
MAIL NOW TREMENDOUS.
A FULL DAY BUT WILL BE RE
PAID b. NUMEROUS GIFTS
FROM FARMERS.

1t was brought to light yesterday
in this city that the Ninteenth Cen
fury Santa Claus would visit the
homes in Wayne county on Christmas
day. He is not the man who we SO
like to picture. with long flowing
white beard, fur cap and coats, car.
ry1ng large pack on his back, driv-
ing his merry reindeers across the
house tops, gaily clamboring down
chimneys, in order that the dreams
of Young America might be realized,
but instead his appearance is far diff
ferent not being man who works gra-
tbs in order TO make many lives hap
Ply but a man who is paid and by no
other person than 1anky Uncle Sam,
who is always solictious of his chill
dren's welfare on Christmas day
This years Santa Claus will dress in
gray, will be minus the long white
whiskers, minus the huge gunny sack
on his back. minus the reindeers.
minus the sleigh, minus the trips over
the housetops, and down the chimneys,
but his visits will be none the less
welcome, because he is DO other per-
son than Uncle Sans mail man, who
will be required to work on Christmas
day, in order that all persons may
get presents on time.
The general impre ssion has long
been prevelant that the rural carriers
would have Christmas day to them
selves, but instead they will be re-
quired to make their regular trips.
The rural carriers will leave Richmond
early tomorrow morning and will not
return until afternoon. The city car
riers will leave the Federal building at
eight o'clock and make one trip. They
will not be required to make an after
noon trip as one morning trip is ex-
pected to clear up the majority of the
packages which have swamped the
local office.
The mail Christmas day will be I'M
usually heavy and is even expected
to be larger than that Of today. which
will be record breaker, owing to the
fact that no delivery was made yester-
day and the packages were allowed
to accumulate in huge heeps about
the postoffice. Each postman's desk
was literally bending under the weight
of the many packages last night, and
thousands of additional packages will
arrive before the first delivery is
made this morning.
Christmas day is the only LEGAL
holiday during the year when the car
riers are required to make deliveries.
Although the rural carriers will have
to make their regular trip tomorrow,
they will not have to do SO New
Years day as the delivery Of mail on
that date is not SO important as on
Christmas. Although the rural car
riers no doubt look on Christmas day |
as a Jonah" in SO far as there having |
to work is concerned, it will also be
a day of joy for them, as the many |
farmers to whom they deliver mail
appreciate the carriers services dur
ing the year and the postmen's wagons
on the return trip will resemble vege-
table wagons as they will be loaded
down by gifts of all kinds from their
appreciative patrons.
There are two days in the year when
rural carriers live high. These are
and Christmas. Blessed
with an abundance of all manner of
good things the farmers remember
heir carriers and bring joy and good
cheer into many homes by their kind
Last year one carrier
'eceived three chickens, a new dress
or his wife and completely lost count
If the pumpkins. apples and other
ruit and vegetables showered upon
linn. All the carriers of Wayne Coun-
y are remembered in almost the same
way by their patrons.