Connecticut western news., 1873-01-17
A SMUGGLER'S STORY.

A SMUGGLER'S STORY.
 'sDid ever tell you about the cherry girls of Pierre lEveque ?" demanded the smuggler after pause.
 "Never; 50 please tell me now"
 How l made friends all of sudden with more than thirty Frenchwomen going te market with cherries ?''
 "Never."
 "How, under their cherries, they smuggled in all my stock of English cotton-lace? ?'' "Never." "-Come, then, I'll tell you. My ven- lure was batch of English cotton-lace, ten packages in all. We had stormy run across the channel one night in Sep tember, and arriving at the Normandy coast, the question was how to get ashore. We did it somehow, ten of us altogether, each seizing a bale. I, being master of the expedition, favored myself little, shoulderinga bale tha1l did not weigh much over half hr.n- dred. Not knowing who might be about, we did not drive the boats far in shore, but waded for it, so th at little else than heads and shoulde. .rs, with a bale upon each pair of shou Iders, could be seen.
 "On we waded; when close on the beach before US. the figures of five or six men loomed out, We ducked for it almost to the. Hoses. waiting for the men to go Dy. Once or twiceit seemed they were fxir 2 their eyes upon us; but there was no Aeip for 1t, and so we had to wait. fhen, all at once, sank into deep pit, nose. bale and all; but though una tr water, I stuck like grim death to my property. How I ever got out I Can't say; but out did get, and landed s bale: It wasn't mine, though-one much Heavier. My people seeing the mess had got into, left me and looked ito themselves, each making his way to some hole in the cliff where he might hide.
 ''Carry the bale I couldn't; half crip- pied, had to drag italong. The ground wasn't new to me; many venture had l brought safe to land at that very spot Every hole in the cliff knew as we'll as the chairs in my own house. I had scarce hid myself away when six douan- lers ln full accoutrements passed right before me. They had got news some thing was up, and were on the prowl Me they couldn't see anyhow, and pres ently they turned about, listened, and
 
 ghlch l knew my fellows had to go All up with us now, thought I; 'to- morrow we'll be all in prison We'll, faint heart don't do for smuggling. I concluded to stick to my bale. The hill was about as big as Primrose Hill. Over that blessed hill had to go somehow, dragging the best part of a hundred weight. I did it-how, can't tell. At the top of that hill were some brambles ant furze-bushes; so leftmy lace there and went away prospecting. There was a village close by; in it two estaminets He Lion dor was the sign of one, I forget that of the other. I knocked at the door of the one whose sign for get; nobody answered. It might have been two in the morning. I knocked again-stiQ no answer; so I went away. Better luck here, said to myself as I knocked at sLe Lion dor A woman answered. God bless the women! I say There and then I told her what was, and what I had done. She bore can- dle in her hand, and by its light she took stock of me from top to toe. l seemed all right, for she smiled
 Contraband, says l. 'Lacep Her little eyes sparkled again. Some for madame tomorrow. Give me lodgings tonight
 "'Cest bien!' had better not come in; the hay-loft was at my service. She led the way.
 ".Sorry to trouble madame said I Tried to get in at the other estaminet couldn't make anybody hear
 \ good thing, too, monsieur. The douanlers have taken up their quarters la-bas; you'd have been nicely in for il there.'
 "' Would like an omelette By anc by; but first my bale. It's out wonder confoundedly heavy, and must get ii in before daybreak.'
 "'Il help you, said she; and sure enough she did help me. Normand, women are like little horses, mon ami.
 "We found the bale, and carried i between us. Before daybreak there i was in my hay-loft beside me. The1 came the omelette and some nice ho coffee. As foE me, be sure I did b, madame what any proper-disposed per son gentleman-smuggler should hay, done-that is, I was liberal I slep well on my hay, and at early dawn I go up and speered about to find some sign of my fellows. One by one I picked them up, and one by one all those bale were got into the hay-loft. We'll, the, couldn't stay there forever, dye see that wasn't business; besides, I wa afraid of compromising madame. wanted to get my property into Pierr PEveque, where had ever so many GUS toners.
 "' How will you do it?' said madam next day.
 "I was nonplussed. How should do it?
 Ecoutez,' said madame, holding III her finger. We must circumvent thu octroi. I'll tell you how. Tomorrow is market day in Pierre lEveque. Som scores of girls will be passing the gate with market cherries. I know some We'll get them to put your lace in tn bottom of their baskets. Oui, mon sieur.'