MISUNDERSTOOD WIRE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5057, 26 November 1926, Page 4

MISUNDERSTOOD WIRE.

OMISSION OF PUNCTUATION. X—

The conversation in my study a few days ago got into rather a solemngroove, from which we yvtere suddenly lifted by Morrison. “Talking about epitaphs and such suchlike,” he said, “a story comes to my mind concerning the death of a certain prominent man in a Midland town. One of his lifelong friends was on a holiday far away, when he received the news, too far to return to the funeral, so hq wired to a florist in his home town to prepare and send a suitable wreath. He consulted jYith his wife, as to the words they ought to have insciibed upon the ribbon of the. wreajth, and after they had come to a conclusion on .the matter, he telegraphed instructions that the ribbon should be extra wide. ‘lnscribe on the ribbon,’ the telegraph, ran, ‘Rest in Peace,’ on both sides, and if there is roota, ‘We shall meet in Heaven.’ The florist, too, was away on holiday; the telegraph department of the Post .Office knows nothing of commas and inverted commas, and the assistant of the shop was not top brilliant; with 1 the result that those who read the inscription on the superb wreaths were somewhat .startled to read the words the extra wide ribbon bore, for they; ran just as the tejegrajm had run: ‘Rest in peace on both sides, and if there is room we shall meet in heaven.’ ”