The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-03-02
CURIOS FOUND IN
DEAD LETTER FILF
Some Amusing Articles Are o.
View In the Postofice
Museum.
From the Washington Star.

dreamer delight in weaving fancifui
stories around them. The contents OF
one Of these cases varies from chill
drens toys to beautiful specimen OF
rattler's skin. But perhaps its most
curious possession is an old black rub
Der boot, curious for its incongruity
in a dead letter file. 1t is a large.
heavy boot, and without its mate II
would scarcely seem to be worth the
postage necessary for carrying 1t. An
other article of wearing apparel to be
found in the collection is a mans
collar tightly sealed in fruit jar
Several articles of the same make
might be purchased for the price OF
mailing 1t.
Perhaps the most interesting feature
to lovers OF romance Is an ordinary
pine board, approximately feet long
and inches wide, on which young
man has written in pencil the secrets
of his heart. But this love letter failed
to reach the one for whom it was in
tended for when she was notified OF
the presence of package addressed to
her she refused to pay the postage due
When the officials of the dead letter
office opened the bundle the following
epistle was revealed
'In consequence OF the BOARD
MEETING today. have concluded tc
put this letter ABOARD the Elk
PRESS, to let you know the feeling
that exists in me; indeed, since your
absence 1 have been constantly think.
Ing of you. almost being unable to at
tend to my REGULAR ROUTINE of
business. Now 1 cannot imagine the
cause of your protracted silence toward
one whom you always PROGRESSED
10 LOVE. You have written to SAM
also to MINNIE, and never so much
as mentioned my NAME. Now was
this because you did not think of me
or did you wish to keep TALK
DOWN. Now Dearest Rip Van Win
kle, you are aware that am sincere,
for have / not proven this? 1 hope
that no better LOOKING FACE has
caught your EYE, for what is face
without LUCRE? / have been board.
ing with your Uncle Sam the past
week. mot at the City HalD. and In
my dreams he naturally became &C.
quainted with our whole proceedings.
Yours until Death lin anticipation
Of an early reply by the American
Rapidly.
Ham Hefs, alias Dick"
In one case is q license to belong to
the Ananias club dated 1903. But this
failed to bear the proper amount OF
postage and now 1t reposes in the dead
letter collection next to comical little
ornament, a representation of the
man in the MOON" One eye is drawn
up in a knowing wink and the other is
rolled toward the Liars License"
suggesting some sweet secret under
standing between the two.
In another case, containing many
old coins and heirlooms, Is an old
of these are in existence, and 1t is
surely not often that thev pasa
through the mail, but this little gold
coin found its way into Uncle Sans
collection.
One package came all the way from
the Philippines, but failed to reach its
owner in this part Of the country. 1t
proved to be white felt hat, rather
the worse for wear, bearing inscrip.
tions such as I'VE are going home,"
"U. S. Indian" etc. Suspended from
the brim on various colored ribbons
are dice, tobacco pouch, pawn
ticket, a pistol. a wine glass and va.
rious coins.
Two wooden forks and a spoon, the
handles curiously carved to represent
the figure of man, found their way
into the dead letter office. 1t Is told
that a missionary, upon seeing them
there, declared them to be the kind
used by the natives of the Cannibal
Islands. According to custom they
are used only once and then at din
uer of human flesh.
Among the many curios may be
found Persian carriers satchel
without any postage, and bearing the
following strange address, which 10
literally translated from the Persian
Oh the cover:
"If the Almighty pleases, let this en-
gelope, having arrived at the city Of
Calcutta, in the neighborhood Of Ca
lootolah, at the counting house of Sira-
ioodeen & Ilahdad, merchants, be Of
fered to and read by the happy light
of my eyes, of virtuous manners and
beloved of the heart-Meean Shaikb
Inayut Ally; may his life be long.
Written on the 10th Of this blessed
Ramadzen, Saturday, in the year 1905
Of the hegira of our prophet, and dis
patched at Bearing. Having without
loss of time paid the postage and re-
ceived the letter, you will read 1t, and
having abstained from food or drink,
considering 1t forbidden to you, you
will convey yourself to Jaunpoor, and
you Will know this to be strict in
junction"
Quite a picture gallery has been col
ieoted at the dead letter office. While
ncne Of them is particularly interest
ing, the humorous arrangement OF two
of them attracts the eye. One Of the
picture of little baby with scared
to death" expression on its face, and
beside it lies the photograph of the
famous Teddy" It seems as though
one look at this brave lion hunter has
petrified the baby's face with fear.
Among the articles that the heavy
Christmas mails force into the dead
letter office is most extraordinary
shaving set. The razor is old and bat
tered and its blade so badly gashed
that scarcely an eighth of an inch OF
cutting surface remains. The handle
of the lather brush Is beer bottle OPP
ener and In place of the customary
soft bristles wisps of straw were tied
In position. In a small wooden box is
a piece of concentrated I've coap and in
place Of the usual cake of magnesia
powder is a piece of white polishing
soap that the housekeeper uses for
cleansing purposes. To complete this
queer set are pair of wornout scis-
sors and a lump of alum.
Accompanying this Is letter from
the sender:
my Dearest Tom: Hardly knowing
what to give you for Christmas gift,
I concluded shaving set would be
az useful and as serviceable as any
thing you could get; besides, I know
you will appreciate 1t very much. This
Is none of your hand-me down shaw
Ing sets. 1t Is very reliable piece Of
workmanship, and by good care will
last you lifetime, dearest.
Hoping you will receive II all right,
with my heartiest congratulations for
a very merry Christmas and happy
New Year.
Up. s. I almost forgot the main
Al. H. IL - H.