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Nobles' Revenge

Nobles' Revenge image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
July
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Alilton Nobles, the actor and anthor, and Senator Vilas were scboolmates in Madison 35 years ago, and they went from the scboolhoose to the war together. Nobles íhinks a good deal oí his old schoolmate and is proud of the distinction he has won among the greaJ men of his party. When the special delivery stamp made its appearance, Senator Vilas, who was tben postmaster general, received many complimentary letters, among them one from Nobles. The rest cf the story is best told by the author himself : "When I wrote this letter of congratulation to the general, I hadn't had occasion to use or receive any of the Btamps, but the idea seemed to me to be a good one. I was Hpending a week at home in Brooklyn at the time. One 'bitter morning abont 8 o'clock I was 'awakened by what seemed to me to be the ringing of all the flre bells in' Brooklyn. Shoving my head ont of the second story window, I could see a muffled figure ' on the steps below jerking the bell witb. savage fnry. 'What is it?' I asked. At that moment the bell wire broke, and the figure feil backward down the steps. The snow was knee deep, and the wind was blowing 60 miles an hour. As the figure rolled down the steps I could hear sorue choice specimens of esplosive English in a familiar accent, mingled with something about 'letter, special delivery.' After removing chains and bolts I opened the outer door, and the messenger blew into the vestibule in a sheet of enow. " 'What is it? What have yon got?' " 'Letter.' "'What the Helen Blazes are yon biinging a letter here for at this time of night?' ' ' 'Special delivery, sir, please. ' "I backed into the hall and slid nay hand all over the wall, trying to find the matchsafe. The vestibule was full of snow, and I had commenced sneezing. " 'Come in and shut the door!' I yelled. Bang went the door and ont went my match just as I had got the gas j tnrned on. The messenger bumped up against me in the dark, stepped on my toes and shook a shoveiful of snow off his shoulders about my feet, filling my slippers and dropping down my back. I finally succeeded in lighting the gas, signing the book, pushing the messenger out and bolting the door. Then I went up stairs with my prize. I examined the long blue stamp carefnlly. It was the first one that I had received. Then I devoted abont five minutes to wondering what the dickens it was all abont. After a time it occurred to me to open it and sea The handwriting was unknown, bnt the refrain was familiar. Here it is: "Shebotoan, Wis., Jan. 19. "Dear 8ir- You will doubtless be surprised at receiying this letter from au entire Rtran ger. But I feel that I was boni tobean actor. "lam but 22, 5 f eet 9, light curly hair, blue eyes and have played Beveral parts with the Sheboygan Amateur society. I inclose notiees. My family object to my going on the stage, but I feel that it is my duty, and as I would only join a first class company my friends urged me to -write to you. Shouldlike to play lovers' parts. I saw you play in Mihvaukee last fall. Can come any time. I have also written a play. Could you lend me Í20? Yours to com mand, I. Arthur Jones. "(Stage name- E. Forrest Melnotte.) 8.- The new special delivery stamp has jnst got here, and I put one on to see how it works. j. a. J. " By tbe time I had finished reading this letter I had a chili. Three hours later I had mich a cold that I could not opeu my eyes. I remained in my room for treatmeut for three days. On the fonrth day I became convalescent, and the first labor I performed was the writing of the following letter: "BRooKi-yN, Jan. 26. "Hon. W. F. VUas, Postmaster General, Washinfftln : "Deab Sih - Qnite reeently, In a moment o unguarded enthusiasm, I wrote yon a letter congratulating you upon the brilliant stroke of genius made manifest in the promulgation of the special delivery stamp. "Recent events have given me a wider knowledge of the subject and opened my eyea to the pernicious eonsequences likely to follow yonr gigantic blunder. "I desire to withdraw my letter and enter a protest against your making any use of the same as an apparent indorsement of your new departure or with a view to your securing a Bituation in the future. This need not necesgarily interfere with our friendship, but between friendship and business the line must be drawn somewhere, and I choose, for reasons conclusive to myself , to draw it at the 8 a. m. special delivery. Very truly yours, "Miltojj Nobles. "I ent the special delivery stamp from the Sheboygan letter and pasted it on the envelope, and, inclosing both in another letter, I sent them to a friend in Washington with a few lines of explanation and instrnction. The next stormy night my friend, following instructions, híred a special messenger, and at 8 p. m. he began ringing Postmaster General Vilas' doorbell. First a servant came, then the general's secretary, but the messenger was firm; he must see the general. Thinking probably that war had been declared in Haití and a midnight session of the cabinet called, the general slipped an ulster on over his nigbtshirt and went down to the door. The messenger shoved the lettel into his hand and bolted on a doublé qnick. "The obnoxione stamp has not been called in, bnt I had my revenare on the

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Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News