The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-08-07
IT WAS A JOKE
BUT TWO PERSONS TOOK 1T
QUITE sERIousLY-THoueHT
MAYOR HATFIELD WAS IN
SOLVENT.

1t would not be easy to improve
upon the manner in which the follow
ing story has been told by the New
Dominion. and it is therefore quoted
from that paper:
Mayor John L. Hatfield has been
enjoying a vacation at Atlantic City
for the past ten days. week ago
he sent postal card to his law part
ner. d. G. Donley, just to let him
know that he was alive and happy.
The postal contains a picture of "A
young man in an advanced stage of
intoxication seated at table with
bottles. glasses and cigars in reach.
Printed on the card are the words,
Happy but Broke. Mayor Hatfield
wrote on the margin, am happy, but
not broke.
The postal card came under the no
tice OF reporter for the N1organtown
Chronicle, who produced the following
in a recent issue of that paper:
at is feared that the city of Nor
gantown has lost one OF Its best
known citizens and prtlic officials. IL
win be remembered that some time
ago our mayor, Captain Hatfield, claim
ed that he was going to Atlantic Gig
ut now appears that he took away
important documents with him prom
Using his partner that he would send
his address at once as soon as he ar
rived at that rendezvous OF pleasure.
"But the address never came and
it was concluded that the mayor was
lost. But Attorney Donley has now
learned that he is not lost. He has
just received a postal from Mayor
Hatfield. saying:
= 4 am happy, but busted:F
The Fafrmont West virginian cop
led the joke. Now the West vtr-
gilman .cfrculates in that portion OF
Marion county bordering. on Monon-
gala county. At Pennington. Sanford
Tenant and his wife Lucretia Ten
nant, reside Several months ago
they with several of Their neighbors
sold their coal to Denley ana Hat
field. The purchasers gave cash in
part payment of the coal and notes
for the balance. One of these was
made to Lucretfa Tenant and hus-
band for 1915. On Sunday one of
the neIghbors dropped into Mr.. Ten
nant's home with the item clipped
from the West virgtnian. It's state
ments were taken seriously and Mr.
and Mrs. Remnant concluded that the
Arm Of Donley and HATFIELD were In
solvent. They took the first train to
Morgantown, and when E. G. Don1ey
arrived at his ONCE that morning he
found waiting for him the holders OF
the note. After very cold greeting
on the part OF the callers the follow
ing conversation took place:
Mr.. Tenant - Are you Mr.. Donley?
Mr.. Donley-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Tennant-well, you're one Of
the men we're looking for. Where's
the other fellow? He's gone away,
hasn't he?
Mr.. Donley-Yes. He's at Atlantic
City for a short vacation.
Mr.. Tennant- He's busted up. too,
they tell me.
Mr.. Donley-Busted up7 Why, no!
Where did you get that idea?
Mr.. Tennant-well, here 1t is in the
paper (producing the clipping and
we want our money. If anybody gets
anything out OF it, we want ours.
Attorney Donley looked at the clip
ping aud recognized It. He explained
to his callers that 1t was only Joke,
but the explanation was not entirely
satisfactory. Mr.. remnant could not
see the joke until he saw Mr.. Doniey's
check for $s15.
The Tenants were very much IN
earnest about the matter, They went
to the circuit clerk s once in the tossi
ginning tel arral sc fot; sprineifig suit
CLERK ShFiyers efs to expl lain al mn "a
fsf nut q check Tor tsse MONEY only
would suttice Mr. ponley sys there
e.-ae St6ot. taftne In the Same section