Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-06-30
Plenty ofDr4nra and Laughs
in the Semi-AnnuaI 'tDead-
Package" Sale at the City Post
Office Anything, From a
Plo7v-Shaye to n Girdle, May
Go to the Highest Bidder In
cidemt ofHe Recent Sale:
Bv James Nevin Miller.

youth around 20: girl OF perhaps
IS, and smother lad, extremely thick
set. of 10 or II.
In the row in front Of these are
an elderly lady dressed 100 per cent
in black, who looks like movie con-
ception of somebody's grandma; q
grizzled gentleman of maybe 60 with
a flowing pink tie; a prim-faced dow
ager who acts like sne's Summing,
and beside her handsome, collegiate
looking chap who has a strangle hold
en- his ki5tenish looking girl friend.
Oddly enough, there's not a single
policeman in sight But fellow with
curly blond hair and wearing huge
badge whispers conhdentially that
there are en- hand four special officers
from the city post office. Two are
assigned to keep the crowd fairly well
under control, while the other pair
stand guards over the money drawer
near the platform. They all wear
plain clothes and each totes a loaded
revolver on his hip.
YOU look at your watch. Five min
L utes of nine. So you fight your
way behind the improvised platform
where, according to Mr.. Cowles, the
dead packages" are lined up. Sure
enough, here they are, taking up
about a fourth of the room space.
What a sight! Most everything Is
boxed and each box mas number. as
have a good many separate packages.
Nothing has a cover on it. Just about
every article that can be transported
by mail is found in the strange as
sortment. Newlyweds would ma
enough material to equip their love
nest, even to the kitchen. And 1t Is
sometimes possible, Mr.. Cowles con-
fides later, to assemble an automo-
bile, with the exception of the body
end engine, from the automobile parts
end accessories on nand at some OF
the sales.
There are two large clothing racks,
just like those you see IN department
stores. One contains women's dresses
of all sorts; the other holds mems
clothing for the most part, besides a
handful of boys suits and overcoats.
It's lots Of fun scouting around the
boxes and examining some OF the in
dividual articles. One treasure chest
contains a weird hodge-podge Of odds
and ends from all corners of the earth.
There are japanese made wooden
cigarette cases covered with alumni
mum like metal of some sort. But
most of the other items, about 200
altogether. seem rather saudy-beads,
vanity cases, penknives, shoe buckles,
watches, bracelets and necklaces.
Another box holds almost every
thing imaginable for the purpose Of
making nilady dazzling to the eye.
Especially worthy Of attention is a
handsome leather case containing a
wooden backed hair brush, folding
clothes brush, razor and tooth brush
containers and a soap bcx. This case
has deep cash along one side OF
the leather cover but otherwise every
thing seems to be in prime condition
Other items are probably IS combs OF
practically every color, size and quail
ity; 10 different kinds Of hairdressine
contraptions and innumerable pins OF
all sorts. This box, you learn, sells
for $4.25.
OF interest to the optician is huge
crate that must hold at least SOC
pairs Of spectacles. Possibly half OF
them are brand-new. There are about
20 spectacle cases, for the most part
rather badly worn: six bifocal lenses
and at least two dozen pairs Of sur
glasses.
One bedraggled-lookins box con-
tains some 200 pairs of rubber boots
4 or S pairs Of women's slipper
and boys shoes. and 2 or 3 pair,
of baby shoes Sad tn say, most Of
these are pretty ancient looking.
You are just about to investigate
bunch of Incorporating. automobile
tires when you notice that the clocl
says 2 minutes Of 9. The hum Of
conversation slows down and dies
You see Mr.. Cowles standing beside
the platform and you ask him to poin'
out the main performers In today.
drama.
"Eee those four young tellowsAe chat