The Colorado statesman., 1907-10-12
CLEVER MIR. BRIGGS
A MAN WHO PRiDED HIMSELF ON
HIS TACT.
He Explains a Little Detail of Bust.
ness to Mrs. Briggs in Connec-
tion With the Signing of
a Check

When Mr.. Briggs came home one
evening and found his wife with eyes
suspiciously red he only kissed her
as usual and made no remarks. Briggs
was a man who prided himself on his
tact He studiously guided the con-
versation on commonplace subjects
while they sat at supper. Mrs. Briggs
answered in monosyllables of forced
cheerfulness.
Nov, my dear, what is the mat
ter?" he suddenly asked when the
meal was finished.
"Oh, nothing" replied Mrs. Briggs.
biting her lip and with eyes cast down
demurely.
AHA, Watson, the beautiful lady
has redness about the eyes. She has
been weeping. Ergo, she has some
thing troubling her," soliloquized
Briggs in humorous way he had of
burlesquing the famous detective of
fiction.
Mrs. Briggs pouted, hesitating be-
tween tears and smile. At this op-
perfume moment her husband arose,
went around the table and put an
arm about her shoulders.
Now, tell me all about 1t, little
woman" he said. "You see, 1t does
no good denying that something is
troubling you. My powerfully analytic
and introspectively deductive mind
tells me otherwise"
After a moment Mrs. Briggs spoke
"I'll never give another cent to that
hateful Fresh Air fund, never" she
Coid haI han 1f 80
eyes.
what have they done to hurt you?"
he ventured.
Mrs. Briggs arose, went to the side
board and took out paper. Pointing
to a paragraph she bade her husband
read. 1t was under the list of fresh
air fund subscriptions and read as fol-
lows:
Zone check was received signed "A
Friend This, of course, cannot be
credited"
Briggs read the item and looked at
his wife
Butt don't see-does this make
you feel bad?" he puzzled.
"Why, certainly, stupid, 1 sent the
check" she explained. you see 1
that live in those big tenements on
the East Side and have such pinched
little lives, and lots of them die every
summer. And they keep one of them
in the country, where they can drink
milk and pick flowers and romp on
the green grass and get healthy for
| $5. So decided 1 could spare $40,
and sent it. oh, felt so good think
ing that two little children were out
having good time on my So"
"And how did you sign the check
you sent?" asked Briggs, trembling
with a suspicion of the truth.
II just signed it "A Friend,'" re-
piled his wife. 81 didn't want to let
my right hand know what my left
hand was doing. So signed it that
way, and now comes that horrid let
ter"
Briggs spared for breath. When
he could trust himself to speak he
did so, guardedly.
"Hm II most extraordinary" he
unused judicially. "Very untactful on
their part, to say the least. Still, it
may happen that they use the full
name system. 1t is, in fact, quite pos
sible, 1 may say probable"
1.-THE full name system?" asked Mrs.
Briggs doubtfully.
YES" explained Briggs. "You see,
1t is check system in which the full
name must be signed and no pseudo
nym. think, it is my opinion, you
should have signed your full name
and then requested in an accompany
ing letter that they should credit your
subscription in the printed list to "A
Friend This system is almost uni
versally used now"
Mrs. Briggs eyes were wide with
wonder.
Dear me, I might have thought of
that" she said. business is so COM
plicated. I'll send another check"
Briggs was a man who prided him
self on his tact-New York Press.