The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-02-12


nance of many a man and maid who
go through life thinking that the an.
onymous outpourings of their hearts
were not appreciated, or that the in.
tended recipient lacked intuition.
Thousands of these votaries OF St.
valentine lose out every fourteenth
day Of February and wonder why,
little thinking 1t was only the slip
of the pen in addressing the valen.
tine to the chosen one that caused
it to go astray and finally reach Gu.
pid's morgue, as 1t is called at the
dead letter Office at Washington.
Or 1t may be the lost valentine was
sent to a Mike post office, which
sounds like a place for only mysteri.
Gus letters, which are sent to little
brownies, pixies and fairies by small
children, but is in reality just flag
station on the railroad and not a
post office at all. In this case 1t is
left at the nearest post Office and u
the addressee fails to claim 1t the
valentine then reaches Cupid's NOR
que at some one of the sixteen divi.
sion headquarters of the railway mail
service.
When 1t reaches the morgue, IL 1t
bears a written message every means
is resorted to to find for whom 1t was
intended, for Uncle Sam has lot of
sentiment, so sometimes by the post
mark and a wonderful astuteness in
unravelling the secret ntentions of
people which characterizes the clerks
in the dead letter office through
whose hands it passes, the fair one
Or gallant is reached. AS real val
entines are never signed-for that is
their mysterious charm-it takes a
kindred feeling and the cleverest
sort of detective work to unravel the
mystery Of failure, he who thinks
these messengers OF sentiment and
love are ruthlessly DESTROYED or sold
at auction in one of the several dead
letter sales which take place each
year is mistaken, for in the case OF
valentines, with some exceptions
what Is ones loss Is another's gain,
and while a trifle belated reach
happy destination where they are
thoroughly appreciated.
On the 14th Of February all over
the country the mails increase about
ten per cent, and while this is not
as large an increase as at Christmas
and Easter, it is very noticeable re-
curing a longer time to sort and de-
liver the valentine matter. The spe.
cial delivery and parcel post service
help to facilitate getting out the
mails on this day and the latter Is
particularly interesting in the vari-
ETY. and uniqueness of the articles 1t
carries as souvenirs of the celebra-
ton.
With each year styles change, and
the old fashioned, large lace paper
: valentines in the embossed envelopes
OF the last century and the fancy
cards in pasteboard boxes which used
to be sent and were such trial in
the stamping machine, have now CIV
en- place to thousands OF post cards
while books, candy, flowers, fruit and
other articles requiring careful wrap
ping come by special delivery or In
the parcel post.
There is no live stock of any de
scription carried by parcel post ex
cent by accident, though there Is un
der discussion at this time a plan
looking toward an extension OF the
service in this direction, that the
farmers and country people general
" NAV have the benefit OF sending
their live poultry, and perhaps game
to customers direct.
However, on last Valentine day
country swain not being up in parce
most regulations and wishing to sent
the admired one suggestive, live
honey valentine, sent her pair o
bantam chickens by the parcel post
The postmaster at the country pos
office. not having read carefully hi
instructions, or perhaps having
fellow feeling, allowed the tiny cocl
and hen to come to Washington, ant
they were so cute and the cock crow
ed So Justify on his arrival that Tn
parcel post man delivered the pal
10 the intended one. Besides these
a pair Of rabbits came through Il
the same way.
Since the rage for picture pos
cards began valentines largely TAX
that form, and as addresses are o.
ten defective and there are no retur
marks, these are turned into Cupid
morgue In the dead letter omc'
: where they are carefully looked o'