The San Francisco call., 1896-11-12
HER TEN-WoRD MESSAGE.
An Instance Where an Attempt to Skel-
etonize Was False Economy.

An Instance Where an Attempt to Ske1-
etonize Was False Economy.
Mr.. Blodgett twirled the slip of yellow
paper thoughtfully around between his
thumb and forefnger and when he looked
up Mrs. Blodgett saw that he was about
to communicate something of considera-
BILE Importance.
Caroline" he SAID, cit isn't often that
l find fault with you because OF your ex-
penditures. l like TO see you dress well
and keep the house up in good style and
never begrudge you the necessary funds.
Now, do II"
And Mrs. Blodgett admitted he never
did.
"But there's one thing do kick about"
went on Mr.. Blodgett, "and that is the
literal throwing away of money. Listen
to this last telegram yon sent me ana tell
me what you think of it, viewing 1t in the
light Of common-sense:
"'Dear Robert: Come directly up to the
house from the depot. have invited
some friends for o'clock dinner. Joey
had a tooth extracted yesterday Your
loving wife, CAROLINE
"Of course 1 was glad to see our friends
at dinner. and it was all right about Joey's
tooth, but l should have appreciated it
just as much If you hadn't wasted so much
money IN telling me about it / don't
mind the money so much, but l do hate
10 give 1t to the telegraph company.
Hereafter, Caroline, when you find it
necessary to send q telegram, limit your
message to ten words. It's a very easy
matter to express yourself with that num-
Der OF words if you ouly think So"
Then Mr.. Blodgett went 10 ST. Louis on
business. He had been there three days
and had pushed his schemes so energe.i-
l,y ~ - L.
men at the Planters Hotel on the evening
of the fourth day would, in all prob
ability, bring the deal to successful issue.
Several hours before the time of his ap-
pointment he received telegram from
Mrs. Blodgeit. 1t read:
Fire Sam frightened Joey badly hurt no
ono escaped uninjured.''
Mr.. BlOdgett poured over the unpunc-
tuated message for several minutes. 1t
was a decided puzzle. At last his
anxious mind evolved this out of the
chaos:
Fire. Sam frightened. Joey badly
hurt. No one escaped uninlured."
Then his fatherly heart was troubled at
the thought of his little boys lying at
deaths door and the wife of his manhood
passing into eternity without his being
there. He hastily scribbled notes of ex-
pianation TO his business associates and
took the first train for Chicago.
Ills pulse IUTOODeQ Wildly anu tears
coursed down his cheeks as he neared his
home, and when he saw that the house, at
least externally, was not damaged,
prayer of thanksgiving assembled on high
and he hoped things were not quite SO bad
as represented. He let himself in and
hurried upstairs. His wife was in her
room. He ciasped her in his arms and
wept aloud.
THANK heaven. you are not badly hurt" /"
he cried. Where are the childrenP
"Out in the yard playing" she said.
"Why, what on earth ails your"
Out playing so soon?" he said. "What
did you mean by this2' and he gave her
the telegram.
''Why. just what it says" she replied.
Fire. Sam frightened Joey badly. Hurt
no one. Escaped uninjured. If 1 hadn't
wished to confine myself to ten words 1
should have said that the fire was around
the corner, that Sam frightened Joey with
a new false face, and that all escaped un-
injured, but L had to leave out words. I
thought you'd understand it all right
Chicago Tribune.