The compiler of the following pages has held an appointment in the Post-office for a period of twenty-five years--the best, perhaps, of his life; and during that term it has been his practice to note and collect facts connected with the Department whenever they appeared of a curious, interesting, or amusing character. While making use of such notes in connection with this work, he has had recourse to the Post-office Annual Reports, to old official documents, to books on various subjects, and to newspapers, all of which have been laid under contribution to furnish material for these pages. The work is in no sense a historical work: it deals with the lighter features of a plain, matter-of-fact department; and though some of the incidents mentioned may be deemed of trivial account, they will be found, it is thought, to have at least a curious or amusing side. The author desires to mention that he has received valuable help from several of his brother officers, who have supplied him with facts or anecdotes; and to these, as well as to gentlemen who have lent him books or given him access to files of old newspapers, he expresses his grateful acknowledgments. He also tenders his sincere and respectful thanks to the Postmaster-General for permission granted to make extracts from official papers. The Post-office renders an unpretending yet most important service to commerce and to society; and it will be a source of deep gratification to the author if what he has written should inspire in the reader a new and unexpected interest in "the hundred-handed giant who keeps up the intercourse between the different parts of the country, and wafts a sigh from Indus to the Pole." CONTENTS. CHAP. PAGE I. OLD ROADS, 1 II. POSTBOYS, 11 III. STAGE AND MAIL COACHES, 24 IV. FOOT-POSTS, 61 V. MAIL-PACKETS, 68 VI. SHIPWRECKED MAILS, 82 VII. AMOUNT OF WORK, 84 VIII. GROWTH OF CERTAIN POST-OFFICES, 95 IX. CLAIMS FOR POST-OFFICE SERVICE, 104 X. THE TRAVELLING POST-OFFICE, 116 XI. SORTERS AND CIRCULATION, 124 XII. PIGEON-POST, 135 XIII. ABUSE OF THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE, AND OTHER PETTY FRAUDS, 140 XIV. STRANGE ADDRESSES, 153 XV. POST-OFFICE ROBBERIES, 170 XVI. TELEGRAPHIC BLUNDERS, 200 XVII. HOW LETTERS ARE LOST, 204 XVIII. ODD COMPLAINTS, 239 XIX. CURIOUS LETTERS ADDRESSED TO THE POST-OFFICE, 245 XX. SINGULAR COINCIDENCES, 262 XXI. SAVINGS-BANK CURIOSITIES, 269 XXII. REPLIES TO MEDICAL INQUIRIES, 275