THE LADY AND THE TELEGRAPH.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2860, 15 April 1878, Page 3

THE LADY AND THE TELEGRAPH.

A story is going the rounds (sajs the Bombay Gazette) which, if not strictly vero, is, at any rate, ben trovato, and too good to be lost. A young sub-lieutenant left his regiment a short time ago. on sick leave*, and put tip at the beßt hotel not a hundred miles from Poonah, where ho was immediately smitten by the attractions of a lovely maiden who was staying there. Jle proposed, was accepted, ana the happy day was fixed. The colonel, however, disapproved of sublieutenants getting married, and particularly of the marriage of the sub in question. As he happened to be a friend of the young man's father, he thought; to prevent tho union of the fond couple by sending a peremptory telegram couched in the following words •—>" Join at once." Tho son of Mars was in despair. He presented himself before his intended with the fatal missive in his hjjnd and anything but a look of pleasure in his countenance; but the lady was tqual to tha occasion. With a blash of maiden simplicity and virgin innocence she cast her eyes on the ground and remarked, " Dear me! I'm glad your colonel approves of the match; hut what § harry he is in! I don't think I can get ready so soon, but I'll do my best, because, of course, Jpve, ihe commands of your colonel must be obeyed." Tbf yoi»ng warrior was puzzled. il Poo't you

see, my darling," he said, " that this confounded telogrnm puts a stopper on ourplaus? You don't seeuw to understand tho telogrnm. He says peremp. torily, 'Join at onco.'" Tho lady's blushe3 redoubled, but with a look of arch simplicity she raised her lovely eyes to her fiancee and replied, " It is you, my darling, who don't understand it. Your colonel says plainly, ' Join at once,' by which he of course means, get marrinl immediately. What else can he possibly mean?." A look of intelH«e»tfe replaced the air of bewilderment in the young hero's classic features, and bestowing a regular feu tie joie of chaste salutes, on her- rosy lips, he accepted the explanation, add was enabled to answer the colonel's telegram in forty-eight hours afterwards in these words—" Your orders are obeyed. We have joinec? at once."