night letter

noun

night letter

(formerly, in the US and Canada) a telegram sent for delivery the next day at a cheaper rate than a regular telegram

First recorded in 1910–15

Gene Beavers received a night-letter from Doctor Winslow on the following day, and it contained its full quota of words.

I get a night letter every morning, and, of course, if one of them got the sniffles I'd be off home like a shot.

How much does civilization owe the telephone, the night-letter, the fast mail and two-cent postage?

Listen: this morning Colonel-daddy got a night-letter from Billy Starbuck.

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