Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-13
By Rene Bache

n man in charge of the Dead -
Letter Office in Washington and.
pointing to set of false teeth displayed in a
glass case, claimed them as his property.
Why do you think they are yours?" asked
Because l would know them anywhere, .
said the old man. Il bought them myself ten
years ago, and used them until they were lost
in the mails when sent them to the city to be
mended."
The teeth were taken out of the case: the
claimant popped them into his mouth: and,
10! they fitted A few minutes later. after sub
scribing to certain formalities, he walked out
of the place perfectly happy.
When it is considered that more than one
hundred thousand packages of merchandise
find their way to the Dead Letter Office in the
course of year. it is not surprising that many
of the articles are strange and curious. APP
parently there is nothing small enough to do
up in parcel. that people will not send through
the mails,-not even high explosives. reptiles
bottled in alcohol or live animals All such
things, as we'll as fluids and pointed instru-
ments," are classed unavailable, and when
recognized are promptly confiscated.
AS for live animals. only one kind IS allowed
in the mail; namely, bees. In these days a
great many of the little honeygetters. mostly
Unconstitutional sometimes the female is &C
companied by half a dozen workers,-are
shipped by post in small wooden boxes OF
prescribed pattern. special indulgence IN
IeSdIu W CHelll OSliiS SidheCo ny law. AhSy
are intended for breeding purposes; and, quite
naturally, consignments of them turn up now
and then at the Dead Letter Office.
Dresses for Hawaiians
MANY of the articles that find their way to
AVA this bourn are rather puzzling. For exam
pie, awhile ago there was package that, on
being unwrapped. disclosed most remarkable
wrapper like garment of fine blue silk, covered
with pictures of playing cards, At first it was
thought to be professional magcians robe:
but inquiry revealed the fact that gowns of
this peculiar description were made IN thus
country exclusively for export to the Hawaiian
Islands, where they were worn on occasions of
state and ceremony by the native chiefs.
Centipedes, tarantulas, and horned toads.
both living and dead. are frequently received
at the Dead Letter Office. People who visit
Arizona usually consider it the proper thing to
send home few horned toads. these being re-
garded as typical local product, and now and
then they forward ella monster or two at
second class rates. A living RATHER, with nine
rattles, which went astray in the post, now
reposes in glass jar of alcohol labeled. From
Florida" But the most alarming parcel to
date proved to contain seventeen small snakes,
all squirming and wrggly: one of which, by
the way, an adder spotted in yellow and black.
made its escape, and crawed out from under a
desk day or two later, to the great alarm OF
the women clerks
Carelessness is responsible for great ma jor-
ity of the accidents that cause things to 60
astray in the mails In the course of a year
about thirty thousand letters containing money
find their way to the Dead Letter Office. and it
is astonishing how many packages and letters
are posted without any address at all on en-
velop or cover.
Mailed Watch and Chain
MOT long ago a gold watch and chain were
~ found in mail box in Philadelphia, without
any sign of wrapper. No clue to the owner was
ever obtained but the SUGGESTION is that the