The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-03-02
A CHEAP TELEGRAPH.
what Resulted from Getting &c
Within the "Sixpenny Limit"

What Resulted from Getting &c
Within the "sixpenny Limit"
The sixpenny telegram may prove .
priceless boon to the British nation at
large, but at present it stands to my
individual mind as the symbol of some
thing intensely disagreeable. On that
inauspicious first of October when the
new arrangement was thrust upon us,
/ peceived q message, handed in at .
London office, which ran as follows:
TO FREDERICK AUGUSTUS skITH-sIxPKINs
. Langham Hotei-Bring D;gby on Saturday.
J.EKINs.'
A very innocent and ordinary COM
nunication. to all appearance. and yet
that innocent-seeming message was the
means of breaking off one marriage. Of
precipitating another and of losing me
o fortune! ,r
The sender had curtailed his name
and omitted his address in order to
compress his telegram within the
sixpenny limit; but there was no
doubt in my mind as to the identity of
the sender. I knew only one man
named Jenkins-my mothers eldest
brother, Albert Victor Emmanuel
Smith, enkins. The wisdom which de-
elined to pay an extra halfpenny On
each Of those high-sounding baptismal
designations was certainly to be ex-
tolled. IL was only pity, thought,
that they could not be similarly sup
pressed on all the other occasions of
life. /, The taste which our family has
always displayed for lengthy and
would-be imposing nomenclature has
been anything but a source of pleasure
TO me; for nearly five-and-twenty years
/ have positively groaned under the
burden of my own four names; and the
tiny tax levied upon the Smith-Paynes,
the Smith-Jenkinses, and the Smith
Simpkinses, is the only thing con-
nected with the new tslegraphic regu-
lations which wins my cordial ap-
prevail.
To return to my uncle and his mes
sage. 1t was perfectly plain and intel
ligible, in spite of its breyity. A ia
vorite niece, to whom he had been
lately playing the part of father, was
to be married next Saturday, from his
house, to q baronet. / had been in
vited TO the wedding; and here was q
further request that / would bring
young Digby, mutual acquaintance.
with me, 1t was somewhat odd and
informal manner of inviting him; but
my uncle was an eccentric man, aceus-
toned to do things of this sort. He
had returned within the last few
months from trip to the antipodes,
accompanied by a widowed sister and
her daughter, the Australian belle who
was to be married on Saturday. The
young lady, or her mother, had evil
IDENTIFY contrived to captivate the old
gentleman during the short time they
had known him, for he had already sig
nified his intention of leaving her the
+. half of his fortune, provided that she
married to his satisfaction. This con-
dition she was just about to fulfil, so
that her inheritance might be regarded
as perfectly safe The other moiety of
his property was to be bequeathed to
me, and in my case there was condi-
ton of general good behaviour, with
out any specific demand. ..
] had never heard Uncle Bert speak
of Digby, and therefore had no idea
what terms of intimacy they were
upon. Ny own acquaintance with him
was ola somewhat casual thoughivery
pleasant sort. Three seasons ago,
Joined four or five other men in hiring
. Highland moor, and he had been one
of our party. was so unfortunate
during car sejeurn in those remote re-
gions as to dislocate my ankle; and in
che 4bsence Of regular medical aid,
Dfgby showed himself . skillful anna
teur surgeon, and afterwards relin-
quishede many. hours of sport with his
friends in order to sit by my sofa, and
help, me towhile away. the tedium Of
INV idle days. We all liked him ex
csedingly for his neyer-failing hon
homie, and for certain charm OF pres
ence and manner that no one
could resist. 4 .slways understood
), that !. he came of 8 good ole
stock, but knew very little about biz
epeople or belongings. When oul
party broke up, he told us that he wa.
eoihge TO sail for Aelbournaiin . few
; Weeks;s andlw each shook him hearth,
~ shsJhasdn and wished him q pros
nPerpsstkeyage9IL sasg nps.xax. xz,I !,
inef4pneyer, set eyes on the man Ag9sl
froms that day rs tks fbiffieth Of Sep
tember last. lad been ipsin town
, Wesk, sxnd -hsd beeas dining lthsAeven
ting NisaPlny old Ehhsh Bob GalGer,
lGIkoods foa13k tant sejftA with 90 4nsur
passed genius for plunging himself int
scrapes and for dragging in his friend
after him. After dinner we sdjourne
% Q well-known music hall. Bo