THE APRIL FOOL. 123

 

might have been a hoax, he made some few
purchases of articles for his store, and then
gave his name.

“Thomas Bunting!” said the person with
whom he was dealing. “ Do you reside in
the city ?” 3

Bunting mentioned his place of residence.

“Did you never receive a letter from
this house, desiring to see you ?”

“T did,” replied Bunting; “but as it was .
dated on the first of April, I took it for the ©
jest of some merry friend.”

“Very far from it, I can assure you,” an-
swered the man. “An old gentleman ar-

rived here from England about that time,

who said that a brother and sister had
come to this country many years ago, and
that he was in search of them or their chil-
dren. His name was Bunting. At his re-
quest, we made several advertisements for
his relatives. Some one mentioned that a
gentleman named Thomas Bunting resided
in the town where you live; and we: im-
mediately dropped him a note. But, as no