Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-04

my, What a lot of letters exclaimed
his wife. as the maid placed the morning
mail delivery at her masters elbow as he
sat at the breakfast table.
"You mean how interesting they look.
responded her husband as he glanced
through the pile.
"You don't mean to say that lovely pile
is nothing but a lot Of horrid bills, do
your" she asked in some concern interpret
ing the note of sarcasm in her husbands
tone.
Il don't believe there is a bill In the en-
tire number her husband fastened to as
sure her. "At this season Of the year, how
ever, We expect our kind friends to do us.
just as we are in the habit of doing them
II can't imagine what you mean," said
his wife somewhat coldly, as If she was
rather uncertain about the nature of the al
fusion and so thought it best to be rather
guarded.
We'll. you know that tea you are getting
up for the benefit of the fund of the circle
to which you belong?"
What has that to do with the letters that
come to you in the morning mail?' he was
asked with some asperity.
The tickets you may recall" he went
steadily on, were 81 each. l suppose you
sent ten to Mrs Jones'"
'Of course l did. but how do you know
NOW here is a letter addressed to you
In the handwriting of Mrs. JONES' he went
in his best Sherlock Holmes manner.
LAS you can see it is still unopened. You
will find il contains two tickets for muSi-
Gale to be given for the benefit of a hos
pital Also note from Mrs Jones, saying
that she had doubt you would be glad
of the opportunity, especially as it was to
aid such worthy cause. She will also in
close the money for the tickets you sent
her"
Laughingly holding out her hand for the
letter the wife hurriedly tore open the en-
velOpe to test the accuracy of her husband s
prediction As two tickets fell to the table
when the letter was taken from the en-
velope the main point was established,
much to the enjoyment of both husband
and wife
The fact that Mrs. Jones tickets were 81
each was merely a matter of detail as the
husband dirty remarked that still it left the
balance in the contest to improve the Len
ten season by doing good with Mrs. Jones.
x j:
1--WE 'weighed-in one of our clerks few
days ago. remarked official of the Post
Office Department. "Weighing-in is not
exactly form of hazng, but is a process
designed to take the starch out of employees
of our department who are inclined to get
too gay.
Zone of our young men-who, by the way,
Is the son Of an officer of the department
of high rank-recently grew altogether too
festive. He began by shooting rubber bands
at the rest of us. and next took to playing
practical jokes. We submitted patiently I'M
til he acquired the habit of visiting an ad-
joining room for the purpose to paying
rather devoted attentions to another fell
lows sweetheart. Then it was that We de-
termined to put the 'weighing-in' process
into execution.
'One of the schemers remarked to the gay
young man that the latter seemed to be
gaining in weight 1t was suggested that
Smith was expert in guessing the
weights of persons, and Smith offered to
bet that he could come within two pounds
of the weight Of the festive youth. In or
der to test the matter, the youth consented
to be lifted. Smith reached back over his
shoulders and raised the youth clear of
the ground, whereupon the assembled group
of clerks produced slap-sticks and rulers
and proceeded to paddle the victim in
hearty fashion. To add to his discontinue,
the young lady referred to appeared in the