The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

bands for letters addressed TO their
wives. but the rule Of the department is
absolute on that These requests cannot
be compiled with II such correspondence
is in progress Is is not a part OF the plan
Of the present postal system Of the United
States 70 contribute 70 martial bToils or
10 add 20 the arm Of the divorced / be-
neve, however. that a smaller percentage
OF the deliveries IN our post-0ffce is what
may be termed 'clapdestine correspond
enCe' than in any other city Of the
country. and for the very reason / have
given why we have, as IL Is asserted
by inspectors, the buikiest business. By
far the larger number Of deliveries is
made % men. and men whose appear
auce indicates infsliibly that they are
engaged only IN the serious matters Of
life
Romance at the window.
To the worldly wise no clairvoyance
is needed to anslyze the mission OF
those who come to the general delivery
windows for their mail II IS q study
in variegsted human nature and an
education IN easy mind reading 10 stand
for an hour or so day after day and
scan the faces Of the patrons OF that
seuli-sinlster precinct. Men and women
come there with anxious faces. clearly
saying that they are expecting remit
tances- Failing 10 receive a letter anx-
iety is often transformed into despair.
/ A letter is passed out. eagerly tom open
/ . bin or check Is found and there are al
times almost transports and tears OF joy
regardless Of spectators A heavily <eiieo
woman, neatly clad and OF graceful car
risse, finely gloved and daintily shod-
calls for a letter, and the veil and car
! rage and the rest tell the story.
I Two young women enter tOgethe-
/ They are giggling and blushing Il il
/ probably their first Irritation by mail
/ They are evidently Of respectable, we'll
doing families and dare not receive
their letters al home. Each, receives e
letter. ana they hurry forth with more
bushing and giggling 10 place where
[ they can enjoy their foolish cores
/ pondence 10 the full in their own fOolisf
way. As I stood watching the motley
/ procession two young men entered. They
wore good tweed suits. evidently be
tlonged TO good families, but as evidentl.
were not blessed with much money o
their own, and yet yearned 20 belong u
! the cheaper fast class Of young bloods-
I They received their letters, and. stand
ling close 20 me. read them aloud to eacl
/ other. with some laughter and sons
swearing. The letter Of one was from (
love-sick girl who berated this yount
man because she heard he was goin;
with another girl" She warned him tha
| IL she found il 70 be true she woult
make il hot for him" The letter OF tn
other was from a different stamp Of girl
] Il
young fellow said he would Ike 70 Sc
her get Il
All Conditions Meet.
4 matronly looking woman. unveiled
approached the window with sG1t
look which told her story as plainly a
though she wore a placard- She re
ceived the expected letter and wake
away with a faint smile, but her eye
told Of a mingling Of hope and fear
Other women there were about who's
position in the social scale there coui
be no doubt, and these made their in
leuiries with a swagger, while their Jaw
worked incessantly in a laborious al
tempt TO masticate chewing gum
Thus day after day. week after Teek
year in and year out, the pathetic. tn
tragic. aIl shades OF the sinister sid
Of social life. are found IN endless pro
cession st these windows g minglin
of hearts ease and hearts break, th
Legitimate and the iIlegitimate. Joy bein
the lot OF some and wretchedneSS an
ruin the lot of others
II the young girls and young mel
+ the husbands and the wives, who US
these windows for ciandestine purposes
to receive correspondence that cannot b
trusted to the carriers and must not b
delivered al their homes OF their place
OF business. could know that they are nC
only frequently watched BY the curiou
/ as I watched them. but that often dE
tectives hover around for one purpose c
another, they might not be so free, man
OF them, to misuse the privileges ofIe-e
! by Uncle Sans general delivery, and fc
the work Of which nine clerks are keI
busy night and day. Sundays includes
the year round
OF Use to Thieves.
! Aside from this phase OF social an
: clsndestine use OF the general deliver
there is another abuse which works Il
both III and good Thieves employ
as the only means Of eommunieatin
! with each other, using sometimes or
: and sometimes another alias. layir
! plans for meeting and arranging Il
: A new stall" This IS an abuse ths
r works both ways. II Is q phzse OF Il
: general delivery which Is rot discusse
. / BY the officials. It is not within the
5 province to admit that they often haN
! the oportuaity 10 tip Of" detectiv'
when someone suspected OF being
3 yeggman calls for a letter. or that le
: ters known to be for yeggmen q