Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-22
The Duty on snakes.


Colonel Dennis, press agent of Van Amburgh
& Co., is responsible for the following amusing
incident: 1t seems that one of the foreign
agents of the establishment had Just returned
from India with some rare and valuable speci-
mems of reptiles, and after landing in New
York, made a bee line for the show, which, as
our readers know, is now in our vicinity. The
agent entered the dominion not a thousand
miles from a most noted bridge. Arrived on
this side he shOuldered his trunk in which his
treasures were inclosed, and made a straight
wake for the railway depot. Barely had he
gained the station, and deposited his precious
burden, when stalwart guardian of her
majesty's revenue laws appeared and demanded
TO know the contents OF that sus
pcious looking trunk. The agent, Il plain,
farmer-lOoking man, says, ooh, it is all right,
sir. Nothing wrong in that trunk, sir "Ah,
bosh," says her maiesty's functiOnary, 'show
me the contents of that trunk or | will seize it,
and put YOU under arrest" The quiet agent,
seeing no alternative, unlocked the trunk and
the aifrighted official desired him in terms more
forcible than polite TO shut it up again quick. 1t
was near train time, and the conductor of that
train had "sold" the custom house official
time or two, and here was good chance to
square accounts. So, as the train backed down,
the officer helped the agent on board with his
mysterious trunk, and assigning him the place
usually occupied by the stove, in the passenger
car, bid him cordial good-by and left
him. But he was not done yet. Seek
ing the conductor he told him in a
confidential whisper that there was man on
board his train that looked q smuggler of the
worst class; that he had not time to look after
him now, but that if he 1.-THE conductor) would
say upon his word and honor that he would eX-
anime every article in the mans trunk and
give him full report Oft when he returned, he
would let the man 20, and he accompanied this
with an intimation that several little things had
gone out on his train lately that didn't look
just right, but should say nothing about it,
Away went the train, away the agent and his
snakes and, in due course Of time, the conductor
in his rounds found the agent and trunk alore-
said. "Ticket," says the guardian. The snake
man responded in form. Whose trunk is that%
"Mine, SIR"
"What are the contentSp
Nothing wrong, sir
"But want to know what is in that trunk,
and will"
"There is nothing in it, sir, that is contra
band; and tell you the truth when | say So"
"Wel, sir, open that trunk at once, or l will
put you off the train and place you under ar
rest"
81 don't think it is fair, sir but suppose
must comply with your demands. | will do
this and no more; will unlock the trunk, and
ifyou choose to open it you can do so at your
own risk"
mot much risk in that, imagine" says the
conductor, and the trunk having been unlocked,
he raised the cover, to be confronted with the
erected heads, cleaning eyes and forked tongues
of numerous Serpents, whose dazzling colors and
complex convolutions struck him dumb with
amaZement.
"Shut it, for Gods sakep said he, gasping
for breath; and the agent and the snakes ar
rived in good order.-I0rORtO Globe