MyStory

"Arte (factually) Speaking" Story-Writing Competition

Merit Award (Upper Primary Category)

Contest ID: 55

Name: Karen Angeline D. Cuison
Gender: Female
Age: 11-year-old
NRIC: SXXXX335I
Nationality: Filipino
School: Bedok Green Primary

Artefact: Colonial Posting Box. Red Colonial Posting Box

Museum: Singapore Philatelic Museum

Image Courtesy of Singapore Philatelic Museum Collection

The Note in the Postbox

I vividly remember the day my grandfather related a story, passed on from generation to generation. It was not just any story, but a mysterious one involving an old-fashioned postbox....

It was the year 1889. Edward Brown was almost finished with his daily rounds as a messenger in Singapore. Brown had always hoped to strike rich, but with his meagre salary, his dream seemed as realistic as the sun rising from the west. He was on his way to the last postbox, at the corner of Orchard and Edinburgh Roads. It was a busy place. Many shophouses were located there.

"Yawn...." Brown was exhausted from his day's work, and badly wanted to hit the sack. Walking with a lopsided gait, he stretched his hand towards the slot of the bright red postbox. He struggled to stay awake as he groped the inside of the postbox. Brown only felt a single letter. As he took it out, preparing to place it in his mail carrier, he noticed that the letter was unusually heavy. There was an odd-shaped bulge in the corner of the envelope. "How perplexing," Brown thought.

Brown was at a loss. He knew it was wrong to open the envelope but he needed to ensure that nothing dangerous was being transported in the mail. Taking one more look at the envelope, Brown saw that it was unaddressed.

Brown opened the envelope.

"My goodness!" Brown started hyperventilating. Inside the envelope was a note which read:

"Everyone in the society has been notified. Our plan to unseat Governor Sir Cecil Smith will commence tomorrow, at the break of dawn. Meet at Edinburgh Road, ten paces behind the red postbox. Enclosed is the stolen key to the Governor's house. Details will be given to thou upon meeting.

Baron X"

Governor? Stolen key? Baron? Brown simply could not comprehend the letter. It could not be true. Then again, how could the letter be a hoax? Brown ran to the nearest police post. He took out the letter and breathlessly related his story....

As they say, the rest is history. One telegram was all it took for the head of the police division in Singapore to be notified of the letter. Sure enough, a stakeout was planned, and Baron X and his comrades were caught in no time.

Brown was given a hefty reward, and is now well-known for his heroic act. The postbox is currently on display at the Singapore Philatelic Museum, and unknown to those who view it, it is truly an artefact to be preserved.

(424 words)