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The holidays are fast approaching and the volume of mail is increasing, everyone is sending "special" wishes for the holidays.
As I think back, I remember our first mail carrier and what a job he had. We lived in what is now the Shenandoah National Park and the mail was delivered daily on horseback.
You did not need to go to the Post Office to buy stamps or have a package weighed. We left the money in the mail box and the mail carrier would weigh your package, put the stamps on your letter, and return the extra money the next day.
As many of you remember, our mail carrier was Mr. Kitty Brown who lived in Sperryville with his wife Susie and their daughter. He had two horses and he would ride them every other day, this gave each a rest day. He rode up Piney Run crossing over to Hull School and then down Thornton Hollow and back to Sperryville.
There were not many bridges at this time, only fords. These were low banks on either side of the creek that could be crossed with a car or a buggy. There was a foot bridge for* those who were walking to cross.
When the water was high this would scare a horse, so Mr. Kitty needed someone to hold his horse as he crossed the foot bridge, then they would send his horse across while he caught it on the other side and continued on with his deliveries.
The stables where Mr. Kitty kept his horses were on his brother's place, which is now Bryant Road. He carried a leather satchel across his shoulder for the mail, and he had a cloth bag for the packages that was put across the horses back.
Mr. Kitty's real name was George W. Brown, but every one called him "Kitty". I never knew where the nickname came from until last week.
Sperryville had a good
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