Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1850-05-18

A Cusros. s.HoUsE REMiSiscgscy.-
gentleman who formerly sat At the
receipt Of customs, In this city, bu,
who, otat Of courtesy, gave up bis seal
10 another gentleman, last spring
tells the following story as one Of bis
experiences, while devoiedly serving
his country IN that capacity.
A tall, thin, specimen Of tho gcnu.
Yankee, species Connecticut, landed
one morning, from Canada boat
His appeara nee indicated anything
but a prosperous condition Of life,
for he had completely run to seed, in
every direction. His hair escaped in
long, straight masses, from beneath a
smoke-stained, palrn.leaf hat; his
beard was long and dirty; his cotton
shirt-tolihr dropped over a yellow
handkerchief; his butter-nut coat
was worn thread bare, and his strip
ed bofnespur trousers had long nban-
doned the effort 10 cover bis lower
limbs and shrunk neekIy away, just
reaching to the tops Of his blue mix
ed stockings. Such character was
likely to attract but little attention
from custom. house officials, who are
not In the habit Of associating the
crime Of smuggling with so much
apparent proverty. So that the seedy
passenger was making long tracks in
the direction Of a Chicago bca., be.
fore the inspector, on duty, discovered
that q porter accompanied the Yankee
carrying an immense trunk. Follow
ing him up quietly, the officer ascer-
tnined to his satisfaction that the
trunk was bis property, and in a few
minutes, had man and luggage, both,
before the tribunal, the solemnity Of
which had struck terror to the mar.
row of so many smugglers--to wit,
the collector and bis clerks.
"Ahal you've caught another Of the
scoundrels, have yooi This will be
state prison case, I'm sure" remark.
ed the collector, by way Of claiming
any perturbation which might agitate
the prisoner, I'VE must make an ex-
ample Of some one Of them, and we
may as we'll commence here r
The prisoner being now quite cal.
med and rcassured, he was requested
to take q chair, and the inspector ex-
planned the case, in the car Of the
collector.
"Wbat have you got in that trunk,
my friendl" inquired the magnate.
"Nothin, jest my or'nary werrin'
'parrel,' was the reply.
Il dare say--suppose you open it
and let us see"
The prisoners face assumed a
sickly green hue, as he grinned horri-
bly, a CHASTITY smile, and seemed in
clined to hesitate, but grim look
from the portly official, caused him
to produce a bunch Of keys, tied to-
gether with a red tape, and com.
menced fnmbIing about the lock.
after much exertion the trunk was
opened, and there appeared an extern
sive assortment Of costly ready made
clothing.
"Ahl see. Your present dress is
only your travelling suit these are
your Sunday and holiday garments" !"
"Exakly, square," answered the
man, CLEAN Of hope replacing the
look of dependency; Il thought it
was too bad to wear good close a.
travlein' round. It's dredfnl hard on
close. a
"Your wearing apparel is Of the
best quality, | see, and your wardrobe
extensive in the articles of coats and
trousers, hut / don't see any shirtsi"
"Oh! I've go, them too." taking
from his packet a small role, which
might have contained one Of the
articles in question, if Of a small
pattern, "you sse was travellin' to
Wesconson, and calkilated ! could
get more shirts up there, but coats an
sich cost like sixty, SO ] had them
made afore started"
"Now suppose you just try this one
said the collector, "and show us
whether the tailor has done you JUS
tice." gs, ,.s
It was with an air of intense misery
that the poor fellow indued himself in
the profered garment and the sight
he presented, caused every clerk to
resort to his handkerchief for conceal
ment. The coat enveloped him like
q morning gown, the shirts nearly
reaching the ground, and the cuffs
completely covering his hands. He
saw the fix he was In, and forthwith
began to explain.
4You see was consid'ble heavier
when was measured for this"
"Yes-lsee; replied the collector ;
ROW try on this one."