in such floods that there is
scarce room to receive the correspondence, but liberal men and measures
have been equal to the emergency. One objector to cheap rates
prophesied that their adoption would cause the very walls of the General
Post-Office to burst. Well, it has seemed as if his prophecy were about
to come true, especially on recent Christmas eves, but it is not yet
fulfilled, for the old place has a tough skin, and won't burst up for a
considerable time to come." (Great applause.)

"Financially, too," continued Solomon, "the Penny Post reform was an
immense success, though at first it showed a tendency to hang fire. The
business of the Money-Order Office was enormously increased, as the
convenience of that important department became obvious to the public,
and trade was so greatly improved that many tradesmen, at the end of the
first three years, took the trouble to write to the Post-Office to tell
how their business had increased since the introduction of the change.
In short, the Penny Post would require a lecture to itself. I will
therefore dismiss it with the remark that it is one of the greatest
blessings of modern times, and that the nation owes an everlasting debt
of gratitude to its author.

"With decreased rates came the other great requisites,--increased speed
and security; and now, as you all know, the work of the Post-Office, in
all its wide ramifications, goes on with the uniform regularity of a
good chronometer from year to year.

"To the special duty of letter-carrying the Post-Office has now added
the carriage of books and patterns, and a Savings-Bank as well as a
Money Order department; but if I were to enlarge on the details of all
this it would become necessary to order coffee and buns for the whole
Society of literary message-boys, and make up our beds on the floor of
Pegaway Hall--(Hear! hear! applause, and cries of `Go on!')--to avoid
which I shall bring my discourse to a close, with a humble apology for
having detained you so long."

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

TELLS OF A SERIES OF TERRIBLE SURPRISES.

"Well, what did you think of that, old girl?" asked Peter Pax of Tottie,
on issuing from the Literary Message-Boys' Hall, after having performed
his duties there.

"It was wonderful. I 'ad no idear that the Post-Office was so old or so
grand a' institootion--But please don't forget father," said Tottie,
with an anxious look at the battered clock.

"I don't forget 'im, Tot. I'v