Aptly Translated R.S.V.P.




    
    
    
    
                                             S. B. A. N.
    
    It is Said That Senator Vance Originated This Abbreviation.
    
    The Savannah Morning News of last Sunday, contained the following item:
    
    “Some one has aptly translated the R.S.V.P. placed on wedding invitations, as has been done 
    occasionally “Real Silver Vedding Presents” and why not?  An amusing anecdote is told in 
    connection with this subject.  A lady here, on receiving an invitation with R.S.V.P. inscribed, 
    placed on her reply the unfamiliar combination S.B.A.N., which roused great curiosity, and 
    feeling on the part of the recipient that she must be far behind the times.  After searching through 
    Ollendorf for any possible phrase that might bear the mysterious initials S.B.A.N. she gave it up, 
    and was amazed to find weeks afterward that the letters intended simply to convey the fact, in 
    plain English that the note was sent by a messenger of color!”
    
    Mr. P. H. Hughes, of Savannah, who sends us the above adds:  “So far my recollection goes 
    Senator Vance was the author of “S.B.A.N.” which I explained to the sender of an invitation to 
    attend a banquet in Washington years ago as meaning “Sent by a negro.”  Seems the Senator 
    was not very well __ on French and did not understand what “R.S.V.P.” meant, but determined 
    not to be outdone placed the letters, “S.B.A.N.” on the envelope containing his reply to the invitation.  
    This puzzled the brains of the senders more than did the letters “R.S.V.P.” which appeared on the 
    invitation received by our late lamented Senator.”
    
    


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