is part of the address of a letter which the sorter no doubt threw away from him with some impatience. The blind officer, however, reads it instantly, strikes his pen, perhaps, through the address, and writes on the envelope, "Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum," and passes it out for delivery. +-------------------------+ | | | | | Obern yenen | | | | | +-------------------------+ is seen in an instant to be meant for "Holborn Union." "Isle of Wight" is, in like manner, written on a letter improperly addressed as follows:-- +-------------------------------+ | | | Ann M---- | | | | Oileywhite | | | | Amshire | | | +-------------------------------+ The probability is that the last-mentioned letter will come back to the Dead Letter-Office, on account of no town being given in the address; still, the usual course is to send it out to the local district designated, there being always the possibility that certain individuals may be locally known. "_Ashby-de-la-Zouch_" is a town to spell which gives infinite trouble to letter-writers; but the Post-Office official is especially lenient and patient in cases of this kind. There are fifty different ways of spelling the name, and few letters, except those of the better classes, give it rightly spelt. "Hasbedellar-such" is the ordinary spelling among the poor living at a distance. +---------------------------------------+ | | | Ash Bedles in such | | | | for John Horsel, grinder | | | | in the county of Lestysheer | | | +---------------------------------------+ is a copy of a veritable address meant for the above town. The blind letter officers of an earlier date succumbed before the following letter:-- +-------------------------------------------+ | | | For Mister Willy wot brinds de Baber | | | | in Lang-Gaster ware te gal is | | | +-------------------------------------------+ but the dead letter officers were enabled from the contents to make out that it was meant for the editor of a Lancaster paper, "where the gaol is." The communication enclosed was an essay written by a foreigner against public schools!