THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2587, 23 August 1909, Page 3

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

SPLENDID GIRLS WHO DARE. THE COUNTRY POSTMISTRESS. (Bv Jenny Wren, in the “Dominion.”) The girl who secures a position under the Government as a postmistress must be prepared to meet with many varied experiences, both in connection with her work and' with her places of residence. She may, r if she. be lucky, have charge in an office in a town where her friends may be all round her, and where interests with which to fill her hours when off duty are plentiful. On the other hand, she may be sent away back into .some tiny remote township—a township consisting of perhaps a Btore, a smithy, a couple of hotels, a school maybe, and a few small cottages scattered about at wide intervals- —hardly an .exhilarating prospect. Still there are few M-aorilanders who do not manage to get a fair share, of enjoyment ,out of life, no matter what the conditions are. Perhaps one would ’hardly hanker after the experience of one girl who, when sent to a place very inland indeed, found that it was almost entirely out off from all outside communication during the winter. She only got there after many hours of cold, weary riding through endless miles of mud, where every f ootstep of her steed threatened- to leave them both for ever planted in the slough of despond. All her household belongings, which had to be limited in number, and luggage generally, followed on a packhorse behind. No store wac near, and once a week groceries and supplies had to be -sent to her on packhorses. Great was the .anxiety felt if they did not appear in due time. In a good many of the country postoffices there aro i now throe or four rooms added on, where the lady in charge lives her independent “bachelor” existence, often quite by herself, and far too busy to feel any loneliness. From eight to five she is usually on duty, and then back again in the evening till about eight. Much, however, depends upon whether there are coaches running, as they usually have a heart-breaking habit of starting at most unearthly hours in the morning, and, of course, the mail must bo ready for them to take away. Somehow, till one has seen the sad reality one’s imagination will insist on picturing the coach that carries his Majesty’s mails as a dashing, sensational affair, with a team of mettlesome, freakishlydisposed horses. Never does imagination have a greater fall! The reality usually consists of about four very spare, resigned-looking steeds, the expression on their faces telling of an utter weariness and disgust at the rapacity, unkindness, and stupidity of man. “Kismet, who can fight against it?”, they almost say. If the amount of work justifies it, the postmistress will have a messenger boy, who makes himself generally useful—sweeping out the office, delivering telegrams, and so on ; If it dogs not, she has everything to do herself, even to the taking of the telegrams to the people who are near at hand. If they "arc sent to people who live some distance away other means have to be taken for their delivery. Country people get nearly all the weekly papers that are published, and on the days tliht they are due there is, of course, an extra heavy mail to sort out. During. the day the postmistress is kept busy with telegrams, attending to people who call for their letters, or for stamps, or who wish to place money in tho Savings-Bank. There is often a telephone bureau to see. to as well. Altogether she conies into contact with many people with many people, and sees many typ-ee, from the farmer and the man about the town to tho rabbiter or the shepherd from , “away back,” in for his treasured mail. Strange little glimpses into human nature and history are given, and much is trusted to her discretion sometimes. After all she and her little post office are the little nerve-threads of the great system that ,linlcs the countries into one—even she can feel the “pulse of the world,” and that is something.