Recently, I came across a coded message in the March 28, 1905 issue of The Evening World:

 

What is this? A clue to an elopement?

If it is a message between sweethearts, one wonders who would welcome “GIMP” as a term of endearment!

There could be other explanations. For instance, what if criminals used the personals ads as a means to convey plans to one another?