n
the range of the vital functions of that heart-relation which she
sustains to the world?

"Answer--let her establish an _Ocean Penny Postage_."

X. _The Free Delivery of Letters and Papers in Large Towns_.

The simple adoption of Uniform Cheap Postage would hardly fail of
securing, in the end, all other desirable postal reforms. An act of
congress, in five lines, enacting that "hereafter the postage on all
letters prepaid, not exceeding half an ounce in weight, shall be two
cents; and for each additional half ounce, two cents; and if not prepaid
the postage shall be doubled," would at no distant period, bring in all
the other desired improvements. The adoption of cheap postage in Great
Britain, greatly improved the system of local delivery of letters and
newspapers in the large towns. Formerly, an additional charge of 1_d._ was
made for the delivery of letters by carriers, in the case of letters that
had been mailed; and for "drop letters," or letters delivered in the same
town where they are posted, the price was 2_d._ Now all drop letters are
charged at the uniform rate of 1_d._ the same as mail letters; and the
mail letters are delivered by carriers without additional charge--the penny
postage paying all. The Postmaster-General prescribes what places shall
have the free delivery, and how far it shall extend around each
post-office.

Beyond those limits, and in places where the free delivery is not judged
practicable, the local postmasters are at liberty, on their own
discretion, to employ penny-post carriers to deliver letters at the houses
of the people, charging 1_d._ each for delivery, which is a private
perquisite--the department taking neither profit nor responsibility in the
case. Persons who do not choose to pay the penny-post can refuse to
receive letters in that way, and obtain them by calling at the
post-office.

To facilitate this local free-delivery, there are "receiving houses"
established at convenient distances in the town, where letters are
deposited for the mails, without a fee, and thence are taken to the
post-office in season for the daily mails, or for distribution through the
local delivery. These receiving houses are generally established in a drug
or stationery store, grocery, or some retail shop, where the nature of the
business requires some one to be always in attendance, and where the
increase of custom likely to arise from the resort of people with letters
is a suff