The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1906-04-05
Adventures of Carriers.

ginia, says that he was attacked by a
large and ferocious rabbit while return
ing late one evening over his route, and
sustained several Commissions and a
9prained wrist as a result OF the en-
counter. Mr.. Herstone says the rabbit
was a pink one, of unusual size, with
large green eyes, and that 1t was gnash-
ing it's teeth with fury. He threw a
stone at the animal, which almost I'M
mediately sprang at his throat, and
made Intellectual efforts to sink its teeth
into his neck. Failing in this, it clawed
his shirt to ribbons. knocked him into
q mudhole, and fled as a party OF
friends came up.
Rural carriers, however, have certain
enjoyments and relaxations. Their
newspaper exponent gives these stirring
rs we'll as suggestive episodes of a dance
ut Stromsburg, Neb., given by the rural
delivery boys Of the country: Fred
Hossner simply took things by storm.
He danced all the hoedowns, break
downs and OxforddoWns on the bill of
fare, and then he turned it over to see
what was on the other side. He danced
two-steps, three-steps and four-steps,
round dances and square dances, tri-
angular and rectangular dances, pentag-
onal and hexagonal dances. He exc
euted a cakewalk, a piewalk and a
lidewalk In a manner never before seen
In the hall, and had them all going
south over the skillfulness Of his move
mentS."
HOspitable Amenities.
The carrier is usually q farmer-boy,
nourished on sweet milk and Watts's
hymn book, his face beaming with
frankness and freshness, his whole
makeup redolent of cinnamon and sim
cerity. Hence he fully appreciates any
hospitable attentions bestowed along
the dusty path of his daily duty. AS
witness these Acknowledgements from
the rural route department. of an
Iowa weekly paper:
Last Tuesday the carrier drove down
TO Henry Jacobs's with a registered
letter and we stayed for dinner.
THE mail carrier took dinner with
Mr.. and Mrs. Isenohr on Wednesday.
Last Thursday Mr.. and Mrs Abra-
hanson, Of Mackey, invited the carrier
TO dinner.
I'VE are under obligations to A. C.
Grandson He presented US with load
Of hay. Go thou. ETC."
Wanted to Make Contract Service.
In the early days OF rural delivery an
DffOrt was made in Congress to place 1t
pm contract rather than salary basis.
1t was proposed, instead Of paying a
practically uniform compensation to
each carrier, that the routes should be
let, after competition, to the lowest
vice could thus be secured at much
lower cost, while the danger of build
Ing up new class of organized and
clamorous officials would be avoided.
But the idea was not popular with the
legislators, and the result has been such
rs to justify many of the warnings CIV
en- by far-sighted observers of current
tendencies among Civil Service en-
ployes Of the Government.
This scheme, IL it had been adopted,
would have affiliated the rural delivery
and the star-rOute carriers more nearly,
and have made their cooperation and
occasional merger an easy matter. But
as 1t stands the two systems which they
represent are constantly drifting apart,
and, as has been shown, are constantly
In antagonism. The rural delivery car
riers undoubtedly give the better SER
vice. and their pay will certainly be
Increased.
One source Of jealousy between the
two arms Of the SERVICE" to borrow a
phrase from military authorities, has
been the method Of paying their COM
pensation. The salaried rural carriers
receive their pay promptly at the end
of each month from Postmasters. The
star-route contractors were paid, until
recently, quarterly, by warrant from
the Department at Washington, the
warrants being always delayed from six
to eight weeks III issue and transmits
fence OF the latter method came semi
officially from city in Georgia whose
Postmaster Is Of a literary turn, his
particular bent being negro dialect
stories. The Postmaster-General upon
opening his mail, found one Of these
rag-time gems before him, to which
was appended a reference slip stating
that formal report Of this complaint
had been forwarded under separate
cover.
Boss" he said. kin 1 git satusfac-
ton Of de Government here?"
Depends on the kind OF satisfaction
and the amount you want" said the
Macon Postmaster. Whats troubling
your"
well. bin or carryin' de mail down
yonner 'twixt Irma an Billiards. sence
las June; goin' up an down err sandy
amt paid me nair nickel. Huccum I'm
hyah Is ] wanter know how bout 1t. Is
er work'n fer wages or Is ! er workin'
Ter nuthin'?"
WHO hired you?"
de Postmaster down at Irma gimme
de job. an he tell me hit 'ud be all
right when de boss man come erlong
But he amt never come erlong yit.''
did you take the oath?"
NO, sab; ! amt took no oath in my
life. Amt no man ever hear me swear
I'm err wrastlin' deacon In de Shoal
Breedin' Doves of Isr'el."
Did anybody go on your bond-any-
body stand for you?"
Eyes. sab, Mr.. Tom Bond, down a,
de sto', STAN for me ter git er little
meat an bread"
did you sign a bond, mean?"
No. sab. i tech de pen now an der
long in de Summer fer fus one man
an ernuther. Dey des gimme de ole
leather sack three times er week, an
how Is er niger gointer live fun June
tell Christmas lessen he git es vittals p
What can l do for you, old man;
speak out?"
Oats what I'm er doin', boss.
want you ter write er letter up tel
Genl Roosevelt, de head man. an splair
de case right. Tell i'm Mark Ant'n,
Marcus Is tired out lookin' up an dowr
dat road fer de man what pays off dc
mail toter. Hyah tits mos Christina.
an no money yit. Tell i'm ef some'p'r
don't happen putty quick Marcus'll bs
bleege ter hang up dat sack an go tel
splittin' rails. Yes, sab; deirs sho
gointer be troublesome times; cause
de job done got er bad name, and wher
/ drap hit DER amt nair niger II
Twiggs 'ud tech II. Mr.. Edwards. yot
know how tits erbout err niger. He
ain't got sense ernuf ter ask de righ
question. an when hit comes ter 'splain.
in. de mo- he 'splains de worser hi
gifts. i amt nuthin' but err cOuntr,