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"seven And Six."

"seven And Six." image
Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
August
Year
1894
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

English newspapers in the days when advertisements were heavily taxed pnblished the titles of books reviewed in their columns, but liever the prices, because the excise office held that aa annexed price was an advertisement and as such taxable. The eustom continued for a long time after the tax on advertisementa had been removed. The London newspapers also made a distiuction btttween a simple notice of a death, for whieh they charged o shillings, and a brief obituary, for which they demanded seven and sixpenee. One day Dr. Thomas Hume, a grave, satirical London doctor, called at the office of a morning journal and silently placed upon the counter the announcement of the death of a friend, together with 5 shillings. The clerk glanced at the paper, tossed it one side and said gruffly, uSeven and six!" ' 'I have frequently, ' ' answered Hume, "had occasion to publish these simple notices, and I have never before been charged more than 5 shillings. " "Simple!" repeated the clerk without looking up. "There's an added line, 'universally beloved and deeply regretted, ' isn't there? Seven and six. " Hume produced the additional half crown and laid it deliberately by the others, observing in his most solefnn tone, "CongratĂșlate yoursolf, sir, that this is an expense whieh your execntors

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News