DEAR PETHERTON,--How perfectly splendid! Everything has worked
out beautifully up till now. Your first note was pitched in
just the proper key, and now comes your second, a perfect
gem in its way. Your style reminds me more than ever of
CHESTERFIELD, to whom a chair was a chair and nothing more,
but a couch was an inspiration. I enclose two yellow tickets
this time. Perhaps you didn't like the others. Some people
don't care for pink tickets. These jolly little yellow chaps
are only 1_s._ each, a consideration in these hard times.
Yours very sincerely,
HARRY FORDYCE.
P.S.--We have a job line of green tickets at 6_d._ each to
clear. Perhaps you would care to look at some. We are selling
quite a lot of them this year.
Petherton's reply to this was an envelope containing the fragments
of two yellow tickets and a sheet of notepaper inscribed "With Mr.
Frederick Petherton's compliments."
As the tickets would have to be accounted for, of course there was
nothing for it but to send him a bill, so I sent him one:--
F. PETHERTON, Esq.,
_In a/c with the Purbury Concert Committee._
To 2 tickets in yellow cardboard, 3 in. by 2-1/2 in., printed in
black, with embellishments, the whole giving right of entry to
the Purbury Annual Concert to be held on June 28, 1916 ... 2_s._
Your kind attention will oblige.
To this Petherton made no reply, so after a few days I bought the
tickets for (and from) myself, and wrote to Petherton:--
DEAR FREDDY,--You will be glad to hear that I have found
someone to take your yellow tickets off my hands at the full
market price. Sorry to find that the War has hit you so badly.
Certainly two bob is two bob, as you apparently wish me to
infer. However it is a blessing to know that the Tommies will
get the extra cigarettes, isn't it? It's a pity you won't be
at the concert. Your cheery presence will be greatly missed,
especially by
Your old pal,
HARRY.