Interesting Gossip On P. O Rules

In the ndiiiini.stratian o svery postoffjce thei-e are bound to arise differences between the authorilties and the public which have to be relerred to Washington for ad justinent. Xhese rules are made whfch. will at the grievances, but the public generally knows llittle about these minor regulatione. They are promulgated, oí course .in the annual ■i'ostoffiice GuMe," but who ever reads that exc'ept lor ithe locatton oí offices and che íla&sMi .uio:u ot mail matter ? A man may suspect that hls wife is reutjng1 a postoffice box h-om which to get clandestino mail. But he can't prove it by, the postoffice, for the employés are forbitldeu to teil the name of any person who rents a box or drawer. The New York l'ress has noted from time to time somc of the odd and leasit understood of the newer rules, and i't adds üere some others ironi the latest monthly supplement of the gurde. Soldiers, sailors, and marines in the active service of the United States are the persons in this country who can senü their mail C. 0. ï. Ií their letters are marked "soldier's letter," "eailor's letter," or "marine's letter," as the case may be, and under these words appear the siguature of the commanding officer, the postage, but at single ratea only, will be collected on delivery. It's queer, but if there is iiostage due on a letter, the postmaster cannot lawfully accept postaga stamps In payment. The only legal tender in such a case is money. It is possible that the New York postoffice authorities have overlooked that general rule for postmasters in the conduct of their offices, which says : "It is important that mail matter be postmarked in a perfect manner so that each letter and figure oí the stamp may be distinct. A faihire on tina' part oí the postmaster to mark mail legibly not only reflects upon the management of his office, but renders him Hable to be charged wtth delays which have no' actually occurred at his office." Not only aro the postmasters for bidden to furnish lists of persons re ceiving mail from their postoffices but the wives and families of the postmaster are also forbidden to tel what the head of the family may have mentioned. As to the member of his family. the enforcemcnt of the prohibitiou is left wlth the postmaeter. Bostm-astöra have been iorbidden to rent private boxes to minors. Paruits oomplaln thiat tiieir sons anü carry on clandestino corpespondence by mbans of private bosces. II er e is a recejit .order tesued by l'o.-'Miiasirr General Gary that may 'de of interest to soine of ouir readers: "ClerkR and o ther employee are ïorhi !di-'i tO B illcli n j)i'"snn or 1 hrougU o : in.rs ctmtrbluitlona oí mónay, gifts or presents : to issue addresses, compliiiK jitary carfls, prints, pu.blicattons any substituto therefor intended ow cateulated to Induce tte public to make them gltts or preedivt.s ; to sell tickets ioir taeatres, concerté, balls, fairs,. picnics, oxcursions or jrtaces of amusement ontwtalnmenit of any kind ; to borrow money or contract debts whlch they have no reasomable prospect of being nble to pay."