The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-02
FEW BARGAINS AT UNCLE SANS
 AUCTION.
seme EIghf Theusand Pieces Of Up- eiafmed Mall Matter Disposed Of. Many Needles snd PeuntnIn
 Pens AstraN

v have been few real bargains. Merely private persons. curious for the most part or set on the purchase of partic- uiar parcels, have crowded out and overbidden the spectators. the junk dealers and the petty storekeepers. Perhaps fourth of these people are women.
 There are no bargains" said Junk dealer.
 This he charged to the impartial &C., curacy of the catalogue. The srticles are so exactly described that there Is hardly an element of chance in the sales.
 The crowd has seemed disposed to pay about the real value of the things. This is due mainly to the spirit of competition. As woman said:
 T marked this number and made up my mind not to pay more than seventy live tents for it; but that little man over there was so exasperating, rais- Ing my bid almost before could speak of 1t, that determined to get it any how. Now I've paid just twice as much as I meant to-"
 The sale lacks the excitiment of an express company's sale of unclaimed packages. in which there is much un- certainty and the mania for gambling inspires the bidders. The catalogue of dead letter mater is explicit and fair. and, being distributed days in advance, there Is small chance for spectators to reap a large profit.
 Whatsoever is not new is marked as damaged. Thus: "Damaged cheap razor. unfinished gingham apron. dam aged garters, fifty damaged cigars" in one parcel.
 A curious thing is the number of papers of needles included in all sorts of packages. Of the first 500 parcels sold nearly fifty contained each from twenty-four to Afty-eight papers Of needles. For example, in one with two pairs girls garters. five stock collars, tone damaged), four yards cheap ribbon, back comb. cushion top," there were "20e papers of needles"
 Package 15S contained razor strop, boys shirt (15), necktie, woman's nit tens, two pairs mans cheap hose (l0), laundry bag, 100 Egyptian cigarettes, twenty-four papers needless" Why so largeaa proportion of undeiivered mall parcels AshouId include papers of nee- dies is not clear. That most of the guests at country preacher's dona- ton party brought flatirons was ex- piained by bargain counter sale of flatirons at the village store, but these parcels with needles come from all parts of the country.
 There is hardly anything, under the heavens, weighing not more than four pounds, that is not found in the un- delivered mall matter. There is even a baby's coffin, an alligator, four feet long. fruit cake. ham and human jawbone.
 Doubtless many of the misdirected or unclaimed articles were intended as presents,
 This would account for the large number of handkerchiefs. neckties. articles of Jewelry and the like. Oth- CTS suggest that absent and wander ing husbands and sons have been q caro to wives and mothers, who have sent to them underwear, chest protec- tors and bottle of spring tonic.
 Then 1t is highly probable that per- sons who have visited relatives or friends have left behind them a varied assortment of personal belongings, not ably toothbrushes. Those must be careless persons who failed to bring away with them their false teeth, several sets of which are catalogues. Even more absent minded fs the man who forgot his wooden leg. m
 Every known articls of wdFing ap- parei, including wigs, liver pads, a mans corset, gold headed canes piss ools, parasols and corn piasters. as well as hats, shoes. underwear and porous plasters. may be seen in the lists. Among the vast number Of shoes is package 634. marked woman's shoes, 2 EEE."> It was a foregone conclusion that no woman would bid aer that lot.
 Other curious mail parcels comprise stuffed owls and smaller birds. snakes, birds nests with eggs, a rabbit foot, wooden sttFrup for a Mexican sad dle, various pumpkins and gourds, an iron kettle and otlaer kitchen utensils, hNtA t.I shoes, starfish, damaged underwent cheap watches a mans pajamas, a crul cihx, woman's hair switch, a womans hustle, a scrap basket. ticket punch, nursing bottle, Aeolian harp.
 Another surprising thing is the num- Der of fountain pens gone astray. These are not sent out by manufac- surers or dealers. but like ene papers ~ needles are included among mis- In on parcel.
 Then there are besides scores Of cheap watches, many gold case watches, rings and other pieces of few. eiry, Parcel 27 contained "cut glass pepper and salt shakers, two silver handler toothbrushes, silver handled buttonhook. pearl penholder and gold pen. There are about 1900 packages Of books, some with three or four or even six volumes each. They are of all kinds. from the Bible to. the novel of the day,
 At the city postonice is a small museum with a collection of curious things which have found their way to the dead letter office The most numerous of the artieles are pistols, bowie knives and other weapons s
 In revolving cases are soldiers pho- tographs which failed to reach the persons to whom they were addressed during the civil war Here and there photograph Is gone. and in its place is a card saying 1t has been claimed by daughter or some other near rel- ative.
 In another group of portraits Is oneI of James Lawrenceson, who served the government for seventy-one years, un, til his death fin 1890. He was in the postal service continually. but in lsI4 he took up arms to resist the British invasion of Maryland.
 He was In Fort McHenry during the bombardment and was the first per son to sing "The Star Spangled Ban. ner" He administered the oath of office to t%enty-six Postmasters Gen. eraI, the last being John Wannamaker. in 1889.
 2 faRwRgw U0nwwa-