The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-08
UER TEN-UORD MESSAGE.
An Instance Where An Attempt to skci-
,fonife Was False Economy.

Nr Rlodeett twirled the slip OF yellow
naper tbouehtfully around between ms
fhunlb and fOrcnnger, and when ne loohtl
up Mrs. BlCdgett saw that he was atoul
20 communicate something OF consi"ei Aol7
Importance. .s,., ~.
caroline" he said. lit isn't oiten that
I ind fault with you because or your tN-
ronditutes like 10 see YOU dress Wei
and keep the house up m good style ana
/ never hegi udse you the necessary ldhus'
Now. do i?'
And Mrs. Blodgett admitted he never
did.
but there's one thing | do Kick about.
went on Mr.. BlOlgctt, and that Is the
literal throwing away or money ','.',,
TO this last telegram you sent me ana zen
me what YOU think OF 10, viewing II IN the
light Of common sense:
Dear Robert. Come directly up 10
the house from the depot. l have lnvlltu
some friends for . Oclock dinner JOEY
had a tooth extracted yesterday. your
loving wife, o.,orr>-p,
"Of course was glad TO see our friends
at dinner. and 10 was all right ABOUT
Jocv's tooth. but | should have appre-
ciatod il just as much " YOU hadn Was,-
ed so much money in telling ne ABOUT H.;
! don't mind the money so much. but
do hate 10 give II 10 thc telegraph COM
many. Hereafter. Caroline. when YOU hhu
in necessary 10 send telegram limit your
message to ten words. It's very '"rN
matter 10 express yourself WIN th1e Nu'''-
Der of words If yon only THINK so.
Then Mr. BlOdgctt went 90 81. LOUIS on
business. lie had been there three DAYS
and had pushed his schemes so eneibeu-
callv that "a meeting with several Scu-
tlcmon al the Planters Hotel on the even
ing of the fourth day would, IN III prona-
hility. bring the deal to snccesslul lssuS'
Several hours before the time OF ms ap-
pointment he received "a telegram from
Mrs BlodgCtt. IL read -.
Fire sam frightened joey badiy hutI
no one escaped urirjurcd.
Mr. Blodgett pJrcd over the unpunctp-
atod message for several minutes. il WIS
"a decided puzzle. At last mis- anxious
mind evolved this out of the chaos:
Fire sam frightened. joey badly
hurt No enc escaped uniniuret
Then his fathcrly heart was troubled &C
the Thought of his little boy IS lying ht
deaths door and the wife OF his MANHOOD
passing into eternity without ms 3elhS
there. lie hastily scribbles notes OF eN-
PLANTATION 10 his business associates ana
took the first tfain for Chicago
His pulse thiohhcd wildly and tears
c0ur-od down his checks as he nearcd
his home. and when he saw that the
house. az least externally, was not dam
aged. a prayer of thanksgiving ascended
ON high and be hoped things were not
quite 80 bad as REPRESENTED. Tie let HIM
Self i'm and hurried up stairs. Ills wiie
WAS i'm her room lie claspcd her IN MS
arms and wept aloud.
."Thank heaven you are not badly hurt,
he cried. where are the Children
"Out i'm tho yard PLAYING She said.
"KVhv what on earth ails you2
"Out playing so soonf' be- said. what
aid Won mean by this?" ard he gave her
tho telegram.
why just what - SAYS. she relllen.
d. .r'ire. sam frightened Joey badly. Hurt
no one. Escaped uuiniured. II / hadn [
wished To- connne myself 20 ten words |
should have said that the Gre was around
tlo corner. that Sam frightened joey with
"a now false face and that all escaped un-
injured but J had 20 leave our wora.., l
Thought you'd understand It all right
Chicago Tribune.