“A man going on a long journey would sometimes take several pigeons with him. When he wished to send a message home it was fastened to one of the birds, which was then set free.
“The carrying of messages was established for the use of kings and others of high rank. In time the common people began to send letters by post, or messengers. You have often heard the expression ‘post haste.’ Years ago, people in England used to write on their letters, ‘haste, haste, post haste.’
“In early colonial days, the colonists were anxious to hear from home, which in most cases meant England.
“When a ship from the mother country landed on our shores, there were always people waiting to see if it brought them news from the loved ones left behind. Some of the letters were not called for. These the captain of the vessel took to the nearest coffee-house where their owners called for them.
“As the country was settled, men were employed to carry the mail between the different towns and cities. Usually the postmen did not start out until they had letters enough to pay the expenses of the trip. They would carry packages and even lead horses from town to town in order to earn a little money. It is said that one Pennsylvania postman used to knit mittens and stockings as he jogged along.
“The first regular mail service between Boston and New York was established in 1673. The round trip in the winter required about a month.
“As late as 1704 there was no regular postoffice west of Philadelphia. In 1775 the colonists appointed Benjamin Franklin as postmaster-general, paying him a salary of one thousand dollars a year.”
III
POSTAGE STAMPS
“Here,” continued grandpa, “is a letter that I received yesterday from Lynn, only a few miles away; you see that there is a two-cent stamp upon it. Please bring me Uncle Charles’ letter.”