Litchfield enquirer., 1854-10-26
The Expert Suruggler.

A few yeats since, before she French had awakened 10 the importance of Fail- way communication, the transit f,em Brussels (noted for it's manufactures of lace, carpets, and tapestry 10 Paris was made by those cumbersome modes 0I corveyance, yclept diligences. h sle year Is4. Hound myself Iocatedsin tie coupe of one of these vehicles. bound from the former to the latter city, will n middle aged gentleman and quite dasS ingiy dressed lady. who might have Seen soms ihirty winters. as my companions, Weappearsd alike strangers to each o,h> CT. and the conversation was but .s'i yhi t,r seve,al miles. My own knowledgcsof their fang1age-for they were both of them French but little, though readily comprehsnded all that was Said. but lacked the pnwer of fluent re~panss A Frenchwoman's tongue. however. is rarely quiet, and smn il pleased Madame tpbecome communicative. which was the signal for free interchang~ of sentiment in which. it may well be supposed. l was not over boislrrous. Encouraged. how> ever, by the lady--for such she was in appearance and address Il did manage to rcply!to her many interrogaio,ies res pecting the United States. The gentle man also indulged freely in bis jokes. and we reached the frontier town, and were summoned to descend and allow the French Custom House officer to inspect our bags aud baggage, ere we were aware of the distance we had travelled. gave my arm to the lady. and we walked ia,o a room provided for passengers, and was about returning to look after my own baggage. when the gentlemsn who had been with us came back, accompanied by an officer. A*a x Hai
 Madame said the officer. raising his hat, has little package of lace. 1 te> lieye. which I will trouble her to deliver to me- . mus. admit that my lady friend un, derwent a change of the seasons most rapidly. @
 s'Monsieur.' said she. is mistaken..-- There is my card
 T have proof replied the officer, That you have 2 package of valuable lace.
 What prouf, sir7' inquired she, with a boldness which was assumed.
 ''l'he best proof in ,he world. Here is gentleman Who has seenit. and our friendin the coupe, who had stood in the background, was pointed out.
 .'Yes, madame. said he, my respect for the laws of my country obliges me to obey every requi ement, and 10 render assistance to the proper officers in enforc- ing others. who are so forgetful of their duly to do the same. Your travelling bag you may remember. fell from your hand. and. while stopped to pick it up dis. covered under your mantilla a package which 1 am sure contains laces. I,kncw that you w-
 Madame here interrupted Linn ~ih perfect yollcy Of abuse She denounced lin as no gentleman. and tripon. coqais. and voleur were freely poured out. She concluded her essay on his r4scality by throwing at the officer the package allu ded to, and was about hono,ing him with a Dutch blessing when l,e iemiaded her that were he 10 put the law vigo, ously in force. her personal liberty would be in danger. 18e@A .s. esl
 The officer bowed, and went out with the informer. whom ! concluded was a spy. and attended to the inspection of my trunks from which a loaded pistol was con6sca,sd as not eH rsgis.. 1ithen 10 the room, and there found madame, just recovering f,om lha. inya, riable relief to a wounded spir.t4-a good cry.
 I, it possible said she. stha. we have been travelling all the morning with a Government spy? Th'ee lhonsspd francs of faces gone-Dieu only knows wlieie What villain customs
 Iallu!ed to tie necessity Of sucli laws, and linted. deIicaiely as could. at the imp, oprie,y. but political economy is no, a subject in which the sex that dreams uf faces are deeply ve,sei in The dili, gence was sgnin packed, and the condoc tois horn summoned us 10 take our places. E The informer was in his place. appa .en,ly lililc i,oubled by inc scene which he had caused. I looked at him, and wondered if his nation boasled of many. such law.abiding citizens. I,urned fhe question over in my mind. whether l could possibly ever arrive at that pitch of patriotism which would induce me to make complaint of lady who was induL.. eing in such a natural freak of fancy. l freely admit that ! set the informer down as vile spy, and felt very much inclined to intimate that wolves in sheep's cloth>l ing were more plenty than they ought 10 be. If the officer had discovered the lace 1 should have bowed-but that fellow passenger. one on whom a lady had de. voted many precious hours of conveisa> iion, should turn against her, was a step