"Whew! but that was a big job, as me uncle said when he tipped over the house of Pat O'Keily. You'll excuse me bad penmanship, if you plaise."
The operator took the paper from him and with wrinkled brow read the following amazing effusion:
"Charmount, Main, Orgust——
"General George Washington,
President of the U. S. America:"Respicted Sir and Brother:
"There has been the biggest outrage that has happened in a thousand years. A pirut ship come up the Sheepscot River to-day and while me and Captain Landon and Second Mate Haynes—it's mesilf that is first mate—was eating our frugle repast behind the blockhouse, the same piruts boarded our frigate the Deerfut and run off wid her. If we had seen the thaives we would have knocked their heads off. Send one of your torpeder distroyers or a battleship and go for the piruts bald-headed.
"Kind regards to the missis and hoping you are well I subscribe mesilf yours with great respict,
"Mike Murphy."
The Irish youth watched the face of the miss as she studied the message for several minutes. Mike had a fair education, and although he limped in his spelling, on the whole he did well. By and by the operator looked into his face with perplexity and asked:
"Why under the sun do you address your message to General Washington?"
"Isn't he Prisident of the United States? I remimber reading the same in me school history at home in Tipperary."
"He was the first President, but that was a long time ago and he has been dead more than a hundred years."
"Then he isn't in the City of Washington, eh?"
"No, he is in heaven, where you may be sure he has a front seat."
"You couldn't forward the same to him?" asked Mike, his eyes twinkling.