Sir,—I am one good american Citizen and I will do not the other Strangers peoples Cheat us My duty Me oblige to let you know which Cheater the U. S. Secret Contraband the man is it one British have one store in Chicago and one other store in Montreal Canada. This man make her Business in this Way. he order her goods to come from Paris france to Montreal Canada and ther he pay duty Very Cheap and then he express her goods to the boarderings of the untied States and then he took the Said goods and giving to the Cariage Man and the Cariag Man in the nighte time he Carry them With other different things eggs and other things lik that in many Barrel and the goods Mixed With Them So the goods entre in united States in the Way the dessert.
respectfully yours truly,
American Brother.
“What do you think of that?” demanded John as he extended his hand and received the letter.
“I don’t know what to think of it,” laughed Fred. “What do you think of it?”
“It’s too much for me,” said Grant. “I don’t believe even papa here knows what it means.”
“But it was sent to me,” said Fred. “At least the directions are to Mr. F. Button, and that’s my name.”
The boys were still laughing and talking about the strange epistle which Fred had received when at last they withdrew from the dining-room and selected four chairs near together on the broad piazza.
They had not been seated very long before the clerk of the hotel approached the group and said to Fred, “I think I gave you a letter which belongs to some other man.”
“I guess you did,” laughed Fred. “I don’t think it belongs to me anyway. Is this the letter?” he added, as he held forth the epistle which had been the cause of so much mirth among the boys.
“I don’t know whether it is or not,” replied the clerk. “All I know is that there is another man here, whose name is almost like yours. He is Mr. Ferdinand Button. That letter was directed to Mr. F. Button. As you had been here longer than he I thought it was for you.”
“Well, it isn’t,” said Fred. “If it was my letter I would read it to you, but I guess it belongs to Ferdinand, so you had better take it and give it to him.” Laughingly Fred held out the letter which the clerk took and at once withdrew from the place.