SPRINGDALE ROTARY CLUB
Messrs. James Meadows and Ticktock
Pony Express, Incorporated
R.R.#2
Springdale, Missouri
Gentlemen:
By a unanimous vote the Springdale Rotary Club has decided to offer you both an honorary membership (no dues are required from honorary members). It is hoped that you will accept this offer and join our ranks.
A dinner is being held Thursday evening June 23, at 7:00 P.M. at the Springdale Hotel. You are cordially invited to attend as our guest of honor. We hope to be able to prevail upon you at that time to make a few remarks about your new enterprise, its hazards and remunerations.
Due to hotel regulations we will be unable to accommodate Ticktock at the banquet table but the Springdale Gazette has offered its usual facilities in the rear of the newspaper office.
We hope to receive your reply in the near future.
Sincerely yours, Robert Morgan Chairman, Membership Committee
Jim was quite excited about the letter but he was uncertain as to what certain portions of it meant. Particularly the word “remunerations.” He took the letter to his father.
“I’m a member of the Rotary Club, Dad,” he said proudly, “but I don’t understand all of this letter.”
Mr. Meadows read the letter over with a smile. “You are becoming quite famous. You’ve been voted an honorary member and don’t have to pay dues as the rest of them do. Also you are invited to a banquet next Thursday where they want you to make an after dinner speech.”
“What’s that ‘hazards and remunerstuff’?”
“Well, they would just like you to tell them about the risks you take in your business, the profits in it, how you like it and so on,” said his father. “You should write a reply to this, accepting the invitation.”
“I’d like to go,” said Jim, “but I don’t think much of making a speech or writing a letter either.”
“Well, that is one of the penalties of rising in the world,” said Mr. Meadows dryly. “You have more public responsibilities. You have to make speeches, contribute to charities and things of that nature.”
Jim got a paper and pencil and after an hour’s labor finally composed an answer.
Dear Mr. Morgan:
Thank you for inviting me to the Rotary Club. I will be at the hotel at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday.
I never made a speech before but I will tell you what I know about the Pony Express.
Sincerely yours, Jim Meadows