Post Office, New Haven, Conn., Feb. 1, 1855. Solus!? Well, that is a fix! What is that name? Is it Jonathan or Wm, B. Haskell, or Hershel? Who'd he marry? How many sisters did his wife have? What were their names? Who are their friends and relations in New Haven? Is the lady here on a visit? Or, like a careful matron, has she come here to educate her children? Egad, I don't know! My library is wofully deficient in genealogy, and I shall be obliged to "give it up." Who can tell me the name of "my wife's sister?" Yours truly, L. A. T----. The New Haven post master's letter was then sent to Mr. H., with the annexed note:-- Post Office, New York, Feb. 2, 1855. Mr. Wm. B. H----. Dear Sir, By direction of the post master, I forwarded your letter of inquiry to the post master at New Haven. He returns the letter to this office with a request that the name of your "wife's sister" may be given to him, as he has been unable to discover it, although possessed of a large library embracing many works of a genealogical character. The P. M. at New Haven is inclined to the belief that it will be difficult to find the letter sent to his office, unless the name of the party addressed is given to him. In this belief the P. M. at New York joins, and the two P. M.'s hold concurrent opinions on this subject. With all due apologies for the seemingly gross ignorance of the post masters in this matter, I am very respectfully Your Obedient Servant, WM. C----, Secretary. CHAPTER XXIII RESPONSIBILITY OF POST MASTERS. Cases sometimes occur of the loss of letters apparently by the carelessness of post masters or their clerks; and in view of such cases, an important question arises; namely, to what extent a post master is responsible for the consequences of such carelessness? The subject is not free from difficulties. In many cases it would be hard to say what constitutes culpable carelessness. It is common in country towns for persons to take from the post-office the mail matter of their neighbors, especially when they live at a distance from the office, as an act of accommodation to them; and many letters are thus safely delivered every day. Now should a valuable letter in this way come into the possession of some dishonest person, and be retained by him, it would seem severe, if not unjust, to prosecute the post master for the loss; since in committing it unawares to improper hands, he did but act in accordance with ordinary usages, countenanced by the community.