Gift delayed 52 years

　　A PACKAGE that sat in a hidden vault since 1945 has finally reached its intended recipient. Kenneth F. Perkins of Lebanon received a package last week containing after-shave lotion, talc and hairdressing. It was postmarked Dec. 13, 1945. Construction workers discovered Perkins’ package during July renovations at the federal courthouse in Indianapolis. The courthouse once housed the post office and when workers moved a shelf, they discovered the vault containing some undelivered mail, said Kim Yates, a U.S. Postal Service representative. Officials tracked down Perkins, now 79, through the military. The package was sent to him while he was serving in the Navy. While stationed in Florida, Perkins began a friendship with a Chicago woman named Rosalie Tellerman who was vacationing in Miami. The two continued a long-distance friendship until her letters stopped. “She probably got mad at me for not sending her a card thanking her for the gift,” Perkins said. (SD-Agencies)