Not A Directory

I stopped a letter carrier in ThirtyBixth street the other mcrning and inqnired the number of the house ou the other side of the street at whieh a personal friend of mine lived, giving the name and cccupation of the gentleman about whoni the inquiry was niade. I knew he lived across the way, in one of a certain bleek, but had forgotten the particular number, and I knew the carrier wonld know by the mail delivered. "Dcn't you know, sir, " said the carrier, who knew 12e, by the way, "that you ask for that wbich it is coutrary to the rules of the postoffice department to give?' ' "No, I don't, " I blushingly admitted. "Well, it's true, " he said. "The law recognizes the right of a citizen to a private residence, undisturbed, as long as he has corumitted no ofi'ense that requires such privacy tobe invaded. Now if I should give your number and street to anybcdy who might happen to want theni, the thing might cause you some annoyance. " "Why, anybody could fiud that out through the directory. " "They might, and they might not. Anyhow the pestofflee is uot a directory." "And didn't you know," he added as a parting shot as he went away, "that you viólate the law by stopping a postman in this way while he is delivering bis mail?" No, I didn't, and for tbat reason these paragraphs. ■