The Semi Weekly News

A LETTER CARRIER'S SECRET.

Yes, I've had scores of episodes if I could think of them, and been the recipient of secrets, time and again, that no other person would have been entrusted with.

The amount of clandestine correspondence that is carried on would astonish even the actors themselves, and it is about equally divided between the sexes. I have never violated a confidence by giving a name or anything that would lead to a suspicion, but if so minded I could give the names of persons prominent in business and social circles that would astonish the uninitiated.

One man used to beg me every day, "For God's sake don't let my wife get hold of any of my letters," at the same time the wife was equally solicitous that her husband should not get hold of her correspondence. They are playing the same game yet, perhaps.

Another married woman, who was engaged in a clandestine correspondence, suspected that her husband was engaged in the same business and used to work all kinds of devices to get possession of his letters. She would instruct me if any letters came for him from Philadelphia to quietly give them to her. The letters came regularly, but she never got hold of them, through me, at least.

Another lady, who was living apart from her husband, and corresponding with a man in the old country, used to keep a supply of stamped envelopes in my hands. When I received a letter from her bearing a foreign postmark I would enclose it in one of the envelopes and have it postmarked Cincinnati. By this means her friends were completely misled. After getting a divorce, for which she was then playing, she married her correspondent, and is now doubtless living a contented life.

One young lady used to meet me every Friday evening, at a certain street corner, and receive a letter from a forbidden correspondent, and at the same time would hand me a letter to be mailed to him. Her family were under the impression that they had her movements completely under a watchful eye. As the young lady was of age I did not consider it any of my sworn duty to expose her. Every letter carrier could relate just such experience if he would.

What part of his duties does a carrier like most? Walking half a mile out of his way to deliver circulars of no earthly use, and which will be thrown into the fire, in all probability, without being opened. The next thing is walking the same distance to deliver a letter. If he had a handful of letters to deliver all along the route he does not mind the extra tramp. These are some of the "tricks of the trade," and if you can make any use of them you are at liberty to do so.—Post Office Bulletin.