Evening journal., 1893-08-17
A TRoueHrLess REMARK.
Predicament of a Wen Meaning Man who
Tnllked a Good Deal.

A man sometimes makes a very serious
mistake in not being expiicis in his utter
ances. Tor example, our worthy towns
man, Mr.. p. Il. Pettbone, got himself in
to precious scrape the other day by re
marking in the most casual way possible
at the Union League club, We've got
fine boy at our house, IL happened in this
way: Mr. pottihone was In the courtroom
and was complaining Of a headache. There
upon friend said that nobody had any
business having headache such fine
weather
To this Mr.. Pettibone answered, "Youd
have a headache too. il you'd been kept
awake all night by a baby's crying"
"Why, what do you know about babiesw
asked the friend.
"What do l knowS" echoed Mr.. Petit
bone II know a heap. We've got a fine
boy up at our house"
The friend scrutinized Mr.. Pettibone's
face closely and saw that he was in earnest.
SO-iust like aman-he went of and hu1icd
himself, spreading the news that Mr. and
Mrs. Pettibone had baby son.
Mr.. Pettibone should have explained that
the fine boy" was not his boy, but merely
the property Of a friend visiting the Petit
bone mansion. You see that he said just
enough to get himself into trouble.
Well, everybody was delighted to hear
about Pettibone's "fue boy" and every.
body heard about it, because everybod told
everybody else. AT the club his friends
agreed among themselves that pettibone
was "a sly dog and all that sort of thing,
and they vowed that they'd get even with
him for keeping the precious secret from
them solong. At the same time every last
one Of his associates was hoping that Petit
bone would honor him by naming the fine
boyn after him, and each made the secret
resolve TO send the little newcomer a solid
silver spoon.
The trouble brewed all that afternoon,
and the crisis came about o'clock in the
evening. Mr.. Pettibone was seated in hi.
quiet home on the west side, reading aloud
to Mrs. Pettibone from a volume entitled
"How to Sail Yacht In a Calm" wher
all at once there came pull at the bell
While they were guessing who under th,
sun it was who was making calls this hot
evening"" in came the servant bringing
lovely silver spoon carefully wrapped II
silk tissue paper The spoon was for Lit
| tie Master pettibonen-so the card accom-
panyiug it was addressed.
"Why, Foster what can it meanY asked
| Mrs pettibone.
"rm sure haven't the least idea" sal,
Mr. Pettihone, and they two sat there an,
looked at the spoon and marveed. Th
spoons began to arrive There were 20 o
them by o'clock. and an hour later thcr
were IA more Next morning before break
fast the whole number had increased q
four dozen, and spoons were still arriving
when Mr.. Pettibone started for his place o
business The whole thing was SO pro
found a mystery to him that he was fairl
wild with curiosity. He set himself to re
calling the events Of the last month ia TIA
hope that he might detect therein som
clew to the secret Of these strange happer
| ings He retraced consecutively every cor
versation he had had and every letter h
had written, and presently he recalled
yes, there came to him like flash of ligh
ming a recollection of the few words he ha
passed with his friend at the club the pr
vious day. Mr.. Pettibone saw through
all now. His friend had formed a hast
conclusion from n casual word, had sprel
the news broadcast and-well, there yO
arei
Mr. pettibone thought the matter a
over, and the more be revolved it the mo-
be became convinced that he alone was
blame It made him feel half yeXed an
half ashamed. So after telephoning an e.
PLANTATION to his wife he was "too busy
see callers" at the store that day, and IL
stead of going to the club at noon he ate
surreptitious luncheon in the corner Of
retired dairy restaurant.
Since then Mr. Pettibone has been keI
pretty busy writing letters to his man
friends explaining this curious compile
tion, and the task is by no means ende
for people outside the city have heard u
good news" and they, too, are sendin
congratulations and spoons. The prospe
is that this remarkable agitation will col
tinue for an indefinite period, for Mr. Pc
3 tibones friends are legion. a pleasal
feature OF the affair is that those who hal
learned the truth refuse 20 take back the
spoons. Keep them, Foster" they sa
"and may that which was meant for a I
ward serve as an inspiration"
The real value of this incident is, ho'
ever, the lesson it teaches-viz, that it
safest always to be explicit in your cor
munications with your fellow men. II
merely TO inculate this moral that we ha
told this true story.-Eugene Field in Cl
cago News-Record.