The
I L ClBISTMAS L UMy-
t readers .!,,. tho I'nbed V ' , - J K fJSPA WMMMMZ' L h
VVj ueiniH.nm, bargain salo, Krti, , rV, VvMWT
trade is nut :il hilly ! tnat-i by o " .f 'vUlffAtW JSfJ U'iW W Tv ?-'.'T"
mount to lha( all na.no. In of- Ne' , " rt " ' f, 384,-71
IMal parlance .1,1, l.-dcral con. rib,,- ' t V K.h:. ' 6 1 $Ai SliHY ) TP-fM'A
by Is termed "Tho Sale of Article V 0"L if 11 WH ,n
A.cuinulaled in tho Divisl,,,, of 1 . ' ' v If 1 ' V JnN'I i X? . MC fl. I bi'
l-ctt.'.-s." ami it takos jilarr . oai-h yoar , w .'i . i t , J Wv.f Vff.A AVV S
This year the ralo nponod on Mon
day, Deccinbor ll, and continued nil
week. H is an miction nalo and Jiu-t
nl.out tho liveliest soif of an auction
Kilo that could possibly bo limiRinod.
Kaeh day tho pioffoiliin nnd biddlns
begins at tn o'clock in tho inoniln
nnd contlnuos with very hriof inter
ruptioiiR until dark. 'Then at seven
o'clock In tho evi ulin; tho auctioneer
reMinios Ms oratorical efforts, and tho
milo prop;ref.ses until, say 11 o'clock,
when an adjournment Is taken until
tho following day.
Although this unique sale takes place at tho
national capital, the purchasers are by no
means limited to persons residing or visiting
at tho srat of government. Tho postoilice de
partment Issues thousands of catalogues this
year's catalogue is a book of panes of Its
novel i,aciil'u( sale, and these are mailed to all
parts of tho Tailed States upon request. So
many out-of-town residents de.iro to bid for
tho articles put up for sale that there has of
Into years developed a distinct Held of activ
ity In Washington for "brokers" who net on
behalf of absent clients In bidding on designat
cd articles as per tho instructions sent them.
No person who has not attended one of
these (piaint ilcs can have an adequate con
ception of tho number and bewildering variety
of the articles which are annually lost in tho
malls wlih no clew to tho owners. For, bo It.
explained, only a fraction of tho total number
of articles that ro a.-liay In tho mails ultimate
ly find tin ir way to this picturesque clearance
nalo. Tho major portion of tho walls of tho
malls that are consigned to tho Dead hotter
office because of laik or absence of address or
any other cause ultimately 11ml their way to
their rh'htl'ul owners, thanks to tho exception
al discernment oi tho "blind readers" and oth
er tracers of lost letters in this branch of tho
postal inslliullon. It. is only tho letters and
parcels that are absolutely balllini; In their
lack of means of Identification, that have a
chance of liinllni; their way into tho steak of
tho '.'lirlstmas bargain sale!
Kvcn at that there is a further silling of
these unidi milled postal victims for after tho
experts of the Dead Letter ollico are forced
1o abandon hope of tracing tho origin or in
tended destination of a strayed parcel, the
waif is held at the postolfleo depart im nt for a
year in the hope that the owner may on his
own Initiative apply to the department for his
missing property and thus enable lis restora
tion. When, dually, there scorns to bo no hope
of readiiiK the riddle by this means, cither, tho
unclaimed parcel is (unsigned to the great an
imal auction sale.
It is a woeful commentary on tho proportion
of our cllliiis who cUdetitly do not know how
to take tho Ilrst step to trace articles hist in
tho mails that this annual portal sale contains
thousands upon thousands of articles. There
aro upward of l.otiil diiTeretit "lots." In a few
Instances a "lot" consists of a single article,
but as a rule, each item comprises from six to
twelve soparato articles, which are thus
grouped because of similarity of character or
lor romo other reason. Many of tho unclaimed
articles aro of such small value, Individually,
that tho thought might suggest Itself that tho
losers had not considered it worth while to
tract, them, but on tho other hand there
nro hundred of really valuable articles inclu
ding numbers of diamond rings, gold and sil
ver watches and other pieces of jewelry.
To sonic readers the question may naturally
present Itself of why this sale Is held each
year Just at Christmas time. Tho reason ad
vanced by Iho prosaic postoMieo department is
that it Is the natural time for a clearance sale
Blnco It is tho season when tho work of tho
calendar year Is being brought to a dose, and
obviously It Is deslrablo to clear out tho ca
pacious etoic rooms at tho postal headquarters
and inako room for tho
year's accumulation of
unclaimed parcels.
However, there aro
several ci'Tuinsiances
which make the holi
day season an espec
ly appropriate time for
this governmental bar
gain sale. In tho First
place a mirprl.dtu; pro
portion of the articles
contained in tho sale
;."o such as tho aver
age per; on prefeis to
give as Christmas gilts
- gloves, Christmas
rjJS. DEAD
(aids, haiulKeichlefs,
dolls, toys, books and
jewelry. Imbed, It Is from tho wreckage o'
tho holiday postal rush that tho dead letter
sab' of tho following year is chiefly recruited
At tho holidays many persons who nre not fa
miliar with the preparation of parcels for tho
mails make use of this service with the to-bo-.
peetod sequel oi improperly wrapped par
cels, missing addresses, etc. Thus, too, it is
dining tho Christmas holidays when the vo
nine of mail Is heaviest that tho greatest pro
portion of w ri ppers are accidentally torn from
parcels in transit, thus creating wall's of tho
mails. Finally there Is loss tracing of packages
lost at Christmas than at other seasons for tho
loasoti that many a prospective recipient of a
Chiistmas gilt, unless independently advised,
has no means of knowing that a parcel has
been mailed to his address, whereas tho giver,
unless an acknowledgement, is requested, has
no means of knowing that tho gift failed to
reach Its destination. Doubtless many a heart
burn has been caused by the failure to deliver
the avil'.ees that have place in I'ncle Sam's
huge and ion stock.
The annual auction sale of postal odds and
ends having been so largely derived from
Christmas postal derelicts it Is peculiarly ap
propriate that tho articles should be sold at
tho holiday season when those self-same ar
ticles can be inada to a second time do serv
ice as gifts. There is no doubt that this is tho
db'posiiion to which many of the purchases are
put. Th"i too, it Is a genuine bargain salo.
Undo Sam has no "reserve price" nnd ho nev
er "bids in" an art hie. Tho articles aro sold
in n gnlar order, numerically, as they are list
ed In tho catalogue, and each lot in turn is
knocked down to the highest bidder without
reserve, and without regard to how inadequate
the price may bo as compared with the real
value of the article.
Although tho annual postal salo 13 conduct
ed under the direction and supervision of the
oll'.cials of th3 Dead Letter olhce, tho actual
bai ter is In tho hands of a private auctioneer
this task helm; bestowed by contract upon tho
lowest bidder that Is, the auctioneer who Is
w illing lo sell tho' postal stock on tho lowest
percentage of commission. Tho terms aro
strictly c.i.-h. I'nclo Sam usually derives gross
receipts In excess of $10,000 from tills sale,
deducting for the cost of catalogues and other
expenses, means nt least $8,000 net profit. This
Is turned over to tho I'ultcd Stat treasury.
However, If at aay time, within three years a
I. It. W fV"-
"I
uHTINfl MAIL
T.ETTKR OrMC
person stiaii
prove that any ar
ticle disposed of
at the sale, was
his property
when lost in tho
malls, tho govern
ment will restore
to that individual
the sum derived
at the sale, from
the disposition of his property.
this responsibility it is necessary
Itecauso of
for the gov
ernment ofllclals to keep an accurate detailed
record of the transactions at each salo, with
.ho notation as to the sum received for each
article sold.
There Is nlways plenty of amusement for
the vast throngs that crowd each dead letter
auction sale. For all that each lot. offered Is
comprehensively, though briefly described In
the catalogue, there are invariably numerous
bidders who through failure to consult the cat
alogue or because they are carried away by
the spirit of the occasion, purchase on tho
"pig in a poke" plan, and tho dismay that re
suits when some of these "sight unseen" par
cels are opened, Is sutlicient to recompense
those spectators who have come to tho salo
merely for the fun that is provided for the on
looker. The average price, per "lot" brought at tho
dead letter sale is well above $1. The lowest,
prices recorded are usually for tho parcels of
vocal and Instrumental music which go for r.O
or 40 cents per "lot," whereas the top-notch
prices are derived of course, from the jewelry
sales, notably tho diamond rings. A solid gold
ring set with a diamond weighing slightly
more than half a karat sold for $30 a decid
ed bargain at the prices at which diamond.!
were then selling. All tho packages contain
ing jewelry of value nre sealed, but the post
ollico omclala supervising a salo will usually
break the seals nnd display In advance any
designated pieces of Jewelry If requested to do
so by bona-ildo bidders. Not all tho parcels
offered at tho postal salo arc such as can be
carried homo by the purchaser. Many a "lot"
Is contained In a hugo wooden box. In this
year's salo one Item Is represented by a pack
ing case, ns largo ns a piano box, filled with
souvenir cards. Another almost ns large, holds
a miscellaneous assortment of cheap jewelry.
WPAPPi.NO UP PACKAGcd
F OK AVCTIOJ-I i'ALE.
TALES OF THE
CHRISTMAS GREENS
"And they lound written In the law
. . Co forth Into the mount nnc
fetch olive branches, and pine
branches, and myrtle branches, am:
palm branches, and branches of thlcl
trees to make booths."
In the days of Joshua the custom ol
using greens for midwinter festival?
was popular among tho Hebrews ir
fact, It was obligatory. And tho use
of niisiletoe by (he old Druids and ol
hollv by the Romans wore customs nl
ready centuries old when Christianity
adopted them. The use of Christinas
greens began before Christmas.
Now you are preparing, doubtless
to decorate your home, to twine Ivy
about the paintings in the drawing
room or parlor, to hang on walls and
in windows holly wreaths nnd suspend
mistletoe from chandeliers and door
frames. Hut do you know the legends
of these greens, of tho significance ol
tho Ivy, the holly and the mistletoe?
Holly was used by the Romans
the feasts of Saturn, to whom it was
dedicated. It was an emblem of peace
and good will. When the early Chris
ti irs began to celebrate the birth ol
Chrbbt, holly became the symbol ol
resurrection. Kven tho Persians re
garded this plant as sacred nnd be
lleved that "the sun never shallowed
the holy tree." Tiny would drench
...
t.
4 t
Vt-.
;tC"-Ti'
the faces of babies with water In which Iht
lark wa.i saturated. In France It was hunc
outside of houses to protect them from light
nln?;.
Ivy, which lent Itself to the decoration ol
houses, was the vim- of Itaechiis. W hence tht
(dd proverb:
N'iiv. Ivv. iciv, II shall not In
l.d 1 1 c 1 1 V h ifc th- MKi-.st. ry
Holly f.lii.l li, tin- linl!. . Ir, r
IVV Stn.itl Witliilllt ,!, ll'iol.-,
I wys:
us the neincr ys.
hi hrhi.M.
In- Is full si Ti1 a i oM
lloily was preferred, hut Ivy became popu
lar ill the course or time. Mistletoe has al
ways shared with Ivy the popularity of Christ
inns. Mistletoe Is more rare and more asso
elated with myths.
Of old the Druid priests at th' lr yearly cole
luatiens woro wont lo send out persons to dls
cover the newest of the mistletoe growth at n
season when tho voice of a cucluio was llrst
b.aid. Only that which grew on an oak tree
was acceptable. When It was found, great
saciiliees were prepared.
On tho day appointed, when the moon was
six days old, tlnro were led to tho place twe
white hullo; a whlte-robcd priest would as
cend tho tree and cut the mistletoe with n
d-Ule of gold. The sickle was never used for
anv other purpose; all tho fragments of the
plant were gathered, and with great rejoicing
the Druids proceeded to their sacred grove,
where the sacrifices were lniulo and particles
of tho plant distributed.
It was believed that, tho mistletoe brought
with It tho good will nnd blessing.', of the fal
lies, for, It is said, they sought protection with
In It (luting the winter when all other tree;
were leafless.
In Sweden for many enrs It hns been re
garded as a cure of ( pllopsy and an antldoti
for rcl.cns. In southern Vales It Is won
about the neck as a protection against tnakt
bites. Thn belief of tho old Druids that the
possession of it guaranteed children Is believed
la many purls of England to this day.
u ft? ;V K &fcm
Exceptional
Equipment
of the California Fig Sjmip Co. nml th
scientific attainments of its chemists havt
rendered possiblo the production of Syrup
of Tigs and Llixir of Senna, in oil of its
excellence, by obtaining tho pure medic
inal principles of plaits known to act meet
beneficially and combining them most
skillfully, in the right proportions, with
its wholcsonio and refreshing Ityrup o!
California Figs.
As there is only one genuine Syrup of
Figs and Elixir of Senna nnd as the pen
uine is manufactured by an original
method known to tho California Fig Syrup
Co. only, it is always neeer sary to buy tho
genuine to get its beneficial effects.
A knowledge of the above facts enables
one to decline imitations cr to return them
if, upon viewing the package, the full namo
of theCalifornia Fig Syn.pCo. id not found
printed on the front thereof.
BUT SHE HAD ENOUGH.
Johnny Mother, let's go in hero and
buy a baby; they're cheap to-day.
Purchasing Power.
A young gentleman of our ac
quaintance, who had just reached ttie
age of six, was recently waiting with
h'j mother for a train at a railway
rtation, when he noticed a penny-in-the-Blot
weighing machine. He asked
hin mother a great many questions
about It, nnd at last received permis
sion to drop In his penny and be
weighed. Having obtained that Im
portant Information, he said: "How
much would I have weighed, mamma,
if I had dropped in a dollar?"
Christmas Post Cards Free.
Send 2c stamp lor five samples of
our very best Gold and Silk Finish
Christmas, Flower and Motto Post
Cards, beautiful colors and loveliest
designs. Art Post Card Club, 7'J2
Jackson St., Topcka, Kan.
The Hint That Failed.
Wife A tree, you know, gets new
clothes every spring hat, parasol,
everything!
Husband Yes. darling, and make
them all itself. Fliegtndo Dlaetter.
Low-is' Single P.indcr made of extra qual
ity tobacco, costs more than othf" 5o
cigars. Tell the dealer you want them.
In the opinion of the beauty doctor
many a homely woman has a One face
for business.
Mr. Wliisl'iw'n Kfiotlilnir Sjrnp.
For rlili.'.rrn ti-t'tlilnii, toOi-tin tlie imou, rnlurf to
Oiunuiutluu. Unya ialn, curia wlml collu. 2ic bullifc
The less a man knows ahc.it wom
en the more he thinks he knows.
Positively cured by
these Little Pills.
Tliry ntsn relievo T'.
trr sHfruni Dyspepsia, In
lleiH: loll and Too Ik-arty
Kiillnj,'. A perfect rem-
ily lor Dizziness, Nan
sea, l)roWKinehA, 11&4
Taste I ii t lie Mouth, CottU
it 'Ion -rue, Pain In tlia
I SI le, Toliril) MVKIl,
l'ney rcgulato tlio llowels. l'urely Vcfc'i'tablB
SMALL PILL. SMALL DOSE. SMALL PRICE.
Genuine Must Dear
Fac-Similo Signature
PEFUSE SUBSTITUTES.
Bronchial Troches
fnr.Unlty fell.vt Sere Throat, Hcor'neu nj
Cou);li. Uncicclt.J lot clearing the ve're. Abso
litely ft-e ftom epiatc. of inytlitne harmful,
t'ricc. 25 ccnti, 10 centa ami J 1.00 per box.
trample artit on request,
TCHN !. BROWN k SON, Roirton. Maw.
TAKE A DOSE OF
CURE
It will instantly relieve that tut king co-iglt.
Taken promptly it vnill olten prevrnl
Arthrnn, Cronchitii and friom tliroat and
I ....l.l f. .(. ..J
9 palatable.
S AU DruuBuU, 25 cent.
j HSU kffiJpjU
SiMlEADAGHE
CARTER'S
RIVER
GARTERS
He IVER
flPlLLS.
(Ft
4
