Wichita eagle., 1889-01-04
TAKEN FOR A cHINAMAN.
A Few Yorker Shamefully Treated on the
Border Of the Dominion.

Border OF tho Dominion.
There is fresh trouble between Canada
and the Union. It came to light In this
way: One day last week Mr.. George
SWEET, of the Windsor hotel, laid covers
for forty Yankee railroad passenger
agents who had gone to Montreal to ar
range excursion rates for the coming
carnival in that city, to be held between
Feb. and Feb. II inclusive. Theodore
FL. Lee, the manager of the American
Bank Note company of this city, was
present at the dinner, and was called on
for a speech. He arose with his jaws set
and a finty look in his eyes, and said:
"You will excuse me, gentlemen. On
account Of the shameful treatment I re-
ceived at the threshold OF this country
cannot take any festive part in this meal.
I can only stay my stomach and an
nounce that what / have to say shall be
said to the state department at Washing
ton"
A pail was thrown over the merry
gathering. 1t soon broke up, and the
railroad men and reporters set to work
to find out what calamity had strained
the relations of the greatest powers on
earth. Mr.. Lee was silent and dignifed.
The truth did not leak out until he re-
turned to New York and arranged the
case he is to present at Washington.
1t seems that years ago in a western
city Mr.. Lee stood under the sign of
Monaghan larlndryman named "Hop
Lee" Lee being the name OF the genial
New Yorker, the railroad men with
whom he was making a tour of the
country nicknamed him Hop Lee, and
his best friends have enjoyed the priv
lege of calling him that ever since. 1t
seems that when he went to Montreal
the other day he was in the company of
George L. Conner, the romancist of the
Fall River line; 81 Cummings, who owns
the Vermont Central railroad; Charley
Hibbard, Sis boss; j. w. Burdick, the
historian of the Delaware and Hudson
Canal company's road; Ed Richards, of
Mr.. Depew's staff; Walter Caleb, wild
flower of the Rocky mountains, and a
lot of other monopolistic barons Mr..
Lee, who has been to Paris, had been
kept up late explaining to the railroad
men the French words "Mumm" and
Sec" that appeared on certain glass.
ware in the train, and he was just get
ting into sound and refreshing sleep
when at o'clock in the morning he was
pulled out of his berth by man of Cana
dian manners.
Hi, john" said this man, "you makee
quick fifty dollar payee to come in Can
ada"
..Eh?" said the astonished New Yorker.
''Come, john" said the custom house
agent, for such he proved to be; ''no got
time to makee chin. Hully up, fifty
dollar license to come to Canada. No
dammee fooling, John, me velly big
bully"
My name is not john" said Mr.. Lee,
''and am no Internal Chinaman. Great
gunsw Gle CHANGED to look at the floor,
and there were his underclothes, railroad
passes, patent medicines and portraits Of
his loved ones at home scattered all over
the foor.) "Who in thunder has been in
my bags"
Il beg your pawdon, SIR" said her
maiesty'S customs man. isn't this your
bag?' He lifted up the valise, and there
on the side of it was a great white paper
on which was printed the name ''Hop
Lee"
''Yes, that's my bag, but that's not my
name. What does this mean?"
beg pawdon, sir" said the Britisher;
81 was examining baggage here when
came on this piece with sop Lee on it,
and naturally supposed you were
Chinaman, in which case the law would
compel me to collect $50 before allowed
you to enter her majesty's dominion.
don't you know"
you shall suffer for this" said Mr..
Lee. Your jokes are in poor taste,
Sir"
beg pawdon, sir" said the customs
man. Il never made joke in my life,
don't you know. carn't even under
stand jokes, don't you see. Don't go
hard on me, sir. was only doing my
july, sir"
Mr.. Lee went across the aisle and
glanced into Charley Hibbard's berth.
The youth was sleeping with hallowed
calm of innocence on his face. He peered
into the other berths ST Cummings was
talking in his sleep about buying stoo.-
ings in Boston. George Conner was
dreaming of new story and laughing at
it himself. Mr.. Lee could not tell
whether one or all were guilty. He
dressed himself and spent q wretched
time in the country that was the scene Of
this indignity. York Sun.