Page:What to do for Uncle Sam; a first book of citizenship (IA whattodoforuncle00bail).pdf/128

124 is one of the Government’s most trusted men. He may have to guard millions of dollars from train robbers in the unsettled parts of the country. He must always be expert in geography, and able to work every minute of his time when on duly, day or night.

This mail clerk knows every post office on his route. He knows where every letter must go, when to start it on some ether road at a junction, and the exact time-table of all connecting roads. Often a pile of fresh sacks of mail is thrown into his car before he has finished sorting those he took on at the first post office. This doubles his work before he reaches the next station, and it has to be done quickly and without a mistake. Uncle Sam has rigged up an iron arm that the mail clerk can swing out of the car to grasp mail sacks without the express train lessening its fifty miles an hour speed. Every minute counts when your letter is on its way.

The mail reaches the place, next, to which it was addressed. It may be a great stone post office in a city, or the back room of a little country store. In either of these your letter has the same attention. It is delivered just as quickly as it possibly can be.

Our Government is making its postage stamps do many other things than carrying letters. The