Philadelphia Story 3

[neil]

I don't know whether Barry Popik collects NYC humor; if so, this is for you:

SQUARING THE ACCOUNT
A practical joker of new York City tells this story upon himself, and
declares that the experience cured him of his bad habit:
On my arrival at San Francisco, as a joke I sent to a friend of mine at
home, well known for his aversion to spending money, a telegram, with
charges to collect, reading, "I am perfectly well."
The information evidently was gratifying to him, for about a week after
sending the telegram an express package was delivered to my room, on which I
paid four dollars for charges. Upon opening the package I found a large New
York street paving block, on which was pasted a card, which read, "This is
the weight your recent telegram lifted from my heart."

-- 'That Reminds Me', George W. Jacobs & Co, Philadelphia, October 1905, 31