Harrogate Herald - 17th November 1917

W H Breare letter

I want to tell you boys a joke against myself. Gunner Edwards, as you will remember, asked me to endeavour to get through our readers, a melodeon for his lot. I made the request in the "Gossip", but this is the joke. I was in a big hurry at the time, because I was off to London. Now, I was under the impression that the word melodeon applied only to one of those old-fashioned small harmoniums - those portable things which fold up into little room and have but slight weight. So when I asked my readers for the melodeon I was under the impression I was asking for one of those. How I found out my mistake was in coming by the train from London at five o'clock on Wednesday night. A wounded soldier was in the compartment and a gentleman who had to make many journeys to the boys on the other side of the water. It transpired in conversation that the word melodeon turned up. I asked what a melodeon was and I was told that it was one of those square accordions. I felt I had been altogether out of it. I was in a hurry to get home to see a Herald to ascertain what sort of an ass I had made of myself. however, on reading over the paragraph, I found it did not give me away. In future I shall remember that a melodeon is an oblong affair; in other words, an accordion; and a concertina one of those things shaped like a crushed pot hat. I have not yet received an answer to the request for a melodeon, but I have no doubt now that I know what it is we shall be having one very shortly.