LACONIC LETTERS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume III, Issue 361, 21 February 1914, Page 1 (Supplement)

LACONIC LETTERS.

Some amusing instances of laconic letters are given by Mr. Seton in his “ Gossip About Letters and Letter-Writers.' Lord Berkeley wrote to the Duke of Dorset- “My dear Dorset, —I have just been married, and am the happiest dog alive. —Berkeley.” And got for answer, “My dear Berkeley,—Every dog has his day!—Dorset.” A young fellow at college wrote to his uncle, on whom he entirely depended, “My dear Uncle, —Ready for the needful.—Your affectionate nephew.” The uncle replied, “My dear Nephew, —The needful is not ready.—Your affectionate Uncle.” , It is pleasant that affection tshould survive pecuniary embarrassments, as it did in the case of Samuel Foot’s mother and 'himself: “My dear Son,— I am in prison for debt. Come and assist your loving mother. —E. Foote.” “ Dear Mother, —So am 1, which prevents his duty being paid to his loving mother by her affectionate son, Sam Foote.” An English nobleman was in love with a “ lady fair.” He met her one evening at a crowded ball, and as he could not get an opportunity of talking to her he contrived to slip into her hand a piece of paper with the words, “Will you? written upon it. The replv was equally brief, “Won’t I!” One would think that correspondence could scarcely be made more laconic than this; but the impossible has ben achieved'. Brother Smith, of Leeds, anxious to learn any news that his friend and fellow Quaker, Brother Brown, of Sheffield, might have to communicate, sent him a quarto sheet with a point of interrogation inscribed in the Centre. Brother Brown replied by sending a similar sheet on which nothing whatever appeared.