Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1888-02-18
LEFT HIS GAS BURNING.
The Friends Of the Pacific Coast Man
Make Ii Pleasant for Him.

A number of friends Of Henry Butler
have been enjoying great deal of fun
Mt the old grntlemans expense of late.
1t seems that Mr.. Butler left his room
at five o'clock in the morning, a few
weeks since, to catch the up-sounl
steamer for Portland and i'll his haste
forgot to turn OFF his gas, which was
burning brightly. Some Of his friends
saw the light in his room the next even.
ing through Mr.. Buffers drawers. went
up only to find the room locked and
bOlted, Just as it had been left. The
fact that he had forgotten To tarn Oh tie
gas, in his haste to catch the steamboat,
dawned upon them all mt once. AMI they
deter inei to let it burn until he came
back, oven if he remained away Cor two
months. AEOut the time ne got ready
to sail from Portland to San Flanciscp,
Mr.. McDougald telegraphed him: Your
gas is still burning"
"Why the devil don't y1u turn Is
out Z" was the reply received from Mr..
Butler.
When the news flashed over the wires
that the Portland steamship bad reached
San Francisco Fred Allen sent his absent
friend the following message: "Dcar
Butler-Your gas is stall burning, Just
rs you left it. Penfield says he charges
double rates when CONSUMERS keep their
lights burning night and day
This message was marked "co!lcct,
and the messenger who handed it 20 ) +.
Butler remarked: "Dollar and quar-
ter. please"
Mr.. Butler paid the bill AMI then
opened the message only to tInl that
those horrid friends of his in Seattle
were carrying ont that practical joke.
In his despair he rushed to the tclc-
graph office and sent the following mes
sage: "Ed. l.. Terry-Turn ont my
gas,
The next day he received from his
friend Terry the following message:
Have lost my pass key and can't get it,
The gas is still burning"
This was too much for the old gentle
man, and his first idea was to come home
Mt once and turn it off himself, but jus
rs he was getting Ic' IL - leave Mr..
Iesler reached the city. When the two
met Mr.. Yesler said "Why, hello.
Butler, what are you packed for = tI'm
going home to turn off my gas said
Mr.. Butler. ''At the rate its burning
the gas company will own half my prop
erty if | stay much longer"
Mr.. Iesler persuaded him that gas
was very cheap i'll Seattle and the more
a customer consumes the cheaper the
rate is in proportion, and that if he
should consume 100. 900 feet during the
month he was absent the rate when he |
got home would be 81 % per thousand, |
instead of $3.50 per thousand, the rate |
charged small Consumers. This ar |
rangement, while it was consoling to |
certain extent, did not dissuade Mr. |
Butler from his desire to get home.
'Let her burn, said Mr.. Ycsicr, "and |
go to Southern California with Mad
docks and myself, and when We get
home I'll get Pcntield to cut the bill
down as much as possible and I'll stand
cne-half the expense"
Mr.. Butler considered this a generous
offer, and as he was very anxious to visit
Los Angeles and other booming towns
south of San Francisco, concluded to !.
'let her burn"
Messrs. Butler and Yesler arrived
home last night The gas was still burn
ing when Mr.. Butler reached his room.
He turned it out, and drawing candle
from his pocket lighted it and exclaim-
ed: "Revcnge is sweet. If Penlield
takes advantage of my absence to get
Len on my property, now, hcnceforth
and forever, / will eschew gas and ilIu-
inmate my premises instead with taliow
dips ~
After Mr.. Butler had retired for Tie
night, and was dreaming of California,
quartet of his musical friends rendered
him delightful serenadc, the principal
song rendered being that which com
mences, ''Let your lower lights he burn
ing. They were followed down stairs
by bootjack and an old shoe after the
first verse had been sung.
Mr.. Butler swears vengeance on those
practical jokers, and vows he will get
even if it takes all winter.