Radio mirror (Nov 1937-Apr 1938)

"NOR RAI • • • CONTINUING THIS SERIES OF TRUE ADVENTURES THAT HAVE MADE THRILLING BROADCASTS, THE STORY OF ONE MAN WHO PUT DUTY AHEAD OF GLORY By FLOYD GIBBONS HELLO EVERYBODY: This, boys and girls, is a story of Old Man Snowin-the-Face. The guy with the patched pants who "always rings twice." His welcome calls are as frequent as duty requires. His ial always sets your imagination a-racing. For you never can tell what pleasant surprise he may have for you. 1 tell tins yarn as a worthy salute to the three hundred thousand men and women of the United States Postal Service who keep the teeming stream of mail flowing swiftly truly endlessly. Their patient, tireless service is the enduring keystone set ever so firmly in the strong arch that supports the commerce of a mighty nation This is not 1 assure you at the outset, a dramatic tale about one of those bozos who fly the night .^through almost mcredible obstacles. Stuff you sometimes ee in the mov.es. No sirree. 1, is the adventure of T plain ordi The author stands by while . . . Spring rains, breasting blizzards with icicles forming on their mustaches. And young ones, also, who come home footsore and weary from the ceaseless grind of emptying their leather bags three and four times a day. Great balls of fire, what a life those babies lead! And when 1 think of what they go through year in and year out it makes me proud that I can tell a story of one of them who deserves a niche in the Hall of Fame. A story of faithful service, discipline and bravery. Service of a kind that caused Herodotus to compliment the Persians on the efficiency of their messengers during the war between Cyrus and the Greeks. What he said so many centuries ago is carven over the main entrance of the general post office in New York. It reads: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." One of the mailmen who knew that inscription so well he could say it backwards was Charles R. Heyler of 32-86 J5th Street, Long Island City. And he believed in it. For there was in his heart the spirit that is shared by three hundred thousand others who make the postal service such Postmaster-General Farley rewards the hero of this exciting true adventure an enviable organization. Charlie was a parcel post chauffeur-carrier, which means he rode on a mail wagon delivering parcels. And he was working out of the lremonr. Station in the Bronx, in Greater New York. Well sir, late on the morning of May 5, 1930, Chart e and his partner, Herman Gross, were hurrying to complete their deliveries. Hurrying because in another hour tney were due to check in at the sub-station and put on tne feed bag. They were driving West along East 178th btreer and the traffic was slowing them up. "If this traffic gets much worse," Charlie remarked, we won't be able to get the mail out on time." "You keep your mind pretty much on your work, don you, Charlie?" was his partner's comment. "Well, if peopre write letters and send packages, they want them delivered." , t. •_ dis. Pistol shots caused those two mailmen to drop tneir u cussion like a hot potato. , Pursu Down the street men were running toward them f jng. policemen were firing revolvers. There were shouts "stickup" and "get 'em." „. ta,n men With their mail truck braked to a stop, the two men "Now aboard it watched the chase with alert eyes. "There they go, three of 'em!" yelled Herman there's onlv two. Where'd the other one go?" "7 saw him," said Charlie. "He went down that alley 1 And Charlie jumped down and went after him For Charlie saw that the third hold-up man had eluded the police and would escape if something wasn t done quickly It didn't occur to Charhe that robbers usually carry guns He didn't think of that until he had his man b^kWnatyPaa8fo£inn tTfor ?" demanded the puffing Cr^Vhat are you running for?" Charlie shot back. "None 'a ya business." "Oh, yeah ?" . , . „ "Beat it, wise guy, while the goins good. ::wSy>o!:e.ohusyryrat, stick around and I'll fill you so fU"l°do~n't think you're going to shoot anybody." Bxit Charlie didn't feel so sure {Continued on page 70)