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318
The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance
·
James Wilson Hyde
288
Curious
Explanations.
In
the
considerable
army
of
servants
who
carry
on
the
work
of
the
Post-office,
embracing
all
grades
from
the
Postmaster-General
to
the
rural
postman,
are
to
be
found
individuals
of
every
temperament,
character
of
mind,
and
disposition--the
candid,
the
simple,
the
astute,
the
wary;
and
the
peculiarities
of
the
individuals
assert
themselves
in
their
official
dealings
as
surely
as
they
would
do
in
the
ordinary
connections
of
life.
The
following
"explanations"
furnished
by
postmasters
who
had
failed
to
send
up
their
accounts
at
the
proper
time,
will
illustrate
the
procedure
of
the
candid
or
simple
when
in
trouble,
who
seem
quite
unnecessarily
to
give
every
detail
of
their
shortcomings,
instead
of
doing,
as
most
men
would
do
in
the
circumstances--make
a
general
excuse:--
"My
daily
accounts
would
have
reached
you
in
time;
but
on
Saturday
morning,
whilst
purchasing
American
cheeses
and
sampling
them,
I
tasted
some
of
them,
which
brought
on
a
bilious
complaint,
so
that
I
was
obliged
to
suspend
work
on
Monday.
Being
now
somewhat
better,
I
trust
all
will
go
on
right."
"I
regret
the
daily
accounts
should
have
been
delayed
so
long;
but
having
some
friends
to
see
me,
the
accounts
were
forgotten."
"The
Postmistress
of
----,
Cambridge,
is
very
sorry
that
she
has
not
sent
her
accounts
before
this;
she
will
be
sure
to
do
so
to-morrow.
The
delay
is
on
account
of
her
having
three
little
motherless
grandchildren
staying
with
her
for
a
few
days."
The
following
will
bear
company
with
the
three
foregoing
specimens.
It
is
a
pathetic
appeal
from
a
letter-receiver,
who,
mistaking
the
purpose
for
which
a
certain
credit
of
official
money
was
allowed
him,
spent
it,
and
was
unexpectedly
called
upon
to
account
for
the
balance
due
by
him
to
the
head
office:--
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