Common decency compelled me to reply, so I wrote:--

MY DEAR OLD BOY.--You don't know how grieved I am to hear that you
cannot entertain the scheme.

Of course I can read between the lines, and know that your heart is in
it, and that it is only the many calls on your time which prevent your
active co-operation with me in the matter. Of course, needless to say,
your lack of support has killed what looked like being a promising
scientific bantling (through stress of emotion I nearly wrote
"bantam," which brings me to the subject of poultry. How are yours? I
forgot to ask before).

I hope the question of the S.L. & S.S. will now be dropped; it is too
painful. If you insist on continuing the discussion I shall decline to
answer the letter, so there!

Yours,
H.

But Petherton refused to be drawn.

* * * * *

From a Church appeal:--

"A recent collection revealed that, of 179 coins put in the plate,
176 were coppers, whilst not more than 15 people could have
contributed anything above one shilling."