A letter addressed by the schoolmaster found great disfavour in Lizzie's eyes.
You might explain to her that you had merely called in his assistance because you were a poor hand at writing yourself, but that was held no excuse.

Some addressed their own envelopes with much labour, and sought to palm off the whole as their handiwork.

It reflects on the postmistress somewhat that she had generally found them out by next day, when, if in a specially vixenish mood, she did not hesitate to upbraid them for their perfidy.
To post a letter you did not merely saunter to the post-office and drop it into the box.

The cautious correspondent first went into the shop and explained to Lizzie how matters stood.

She kept what she called a bookseller's shop as well as the post-office; but the supply of books corresponded exactly to the lack of demand for them, and her chief trade was in nicknacks, from marbles and money-boxes up to concertinas.
If he found the postmistress in an amiable mood, which was only now and then, the caller led up craftily to the object of his visit.