Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-07-18
Women a. amuKsIers
+, in the Chicago Times

And may our strength Increase
Fed by Thy hand.
-S-
Women as smuKRIsrs
NJ. NJ. T., in the Chicago Times
Several years since when visiting in
New York, one wet morning, the fTieLd
with whom l was staying aid n yseii
were idliug in her library, when q ring
at the dOOr-bell was followed by the Ush
eiing in Of woman eUveloPed in
waterproof CLOAK, and carrying a basket
covered closely with a rubber cloth.
| der salutatiOn was in broken Engli-h,
and her inquiries concerning the health
| OF madame and the children showed she
was we'll known to the lady Of the house.
After q remark or two about the
weather, the woman threw significant
glance at me, saying:
"WOuld madame like anything to-
day? l have some very fine things.n
"Let US see Them" was the reply. 81
know my friend would like to look at
| them"
The woman stepped into the hsll and
took off her cloak; returning, she
opened her basket and spread out on the
| green cloth Of the table numerous nand-
some laces.
| OF course We were in ecstacies over
them. A set consisting of collar and
cuffs Of cObweh, gOssamer-like texture l
coveted, while my friends attention
was fixed on an elegant founce almost
half yard wide.
How beautiful this would make my
lavender silk look for the charity bail, Z"
she said, holding one end OF It up to
view.
"Magnificent," exclaimed the womsn,
"and it is only $" naming sum that
startled me.
MY friend laid it down. al should
never get it paid for" she said, and 81
am still in your debt for that berthe"
"Thst is nOthing-nOthiDg az all,
madam; it would make your Cre55 50
lovely, aad it is tres chesl {; you would
have 10 pay as much agl.ln for it at
| Stewards" Then she mentioned sew
eTaI women Of wealth and fashion, to
whom she had sold flOunces not near so
| fine.
chow comes it you can sell these
things so chesply?" 1 inquired.
| She shrugged her shoulders, and be-
gan putting the pieces back in her
basket, ali but the flOunces; "My brother
is in the trade at Paris, and sends them
to me-"
MADAM will keep that" she said, as
she began trying her covers on. 81
must go, it is a wet morning and the
ladies will have time to look at my
things, and the ball comes of next
week"
Ny friend resisted, although soreIy
tempted, and the fiOunce returned to the
basket. The woman was evidently
chagrined, bnt ere she closed the door
she said, politely:
"ShOuld madam change her mind, or
if 1 can accommodate her in az other
way she knows where to find me-"
"Where does she get these things?n ]
asked, ere the hall door closed on her.
"SmuggIed," was the reply. "She. is
q very useful person, and sells such
things a great deal less than you can get
them anywhere else. She has the run
OF certain fashionable houses, and halt
the costly laces you see have been
through her hands. You give her s
little note, and she will wait almost
your own time for the money; and if
you are hard pushed, she will take any
ieweIry that MSS become Oid-fashiOned,
velvet dresses, or nantes, in part pay
ment. Sometimes she loans tiJuncas or
berthes for occasions, but she asks ruin
Gus prices, and the risk is great, for
should the articles be in the least injured
you are obliged to keep it at her esti-
mateU
"Do the ladies know the goods are
smuggled?"
"Of course they do, although never Q
word passes in regard to il, and it Is
tacitly understood that neither she mol
her business are to be mentioned to hus-
bands. When Mrs. W died she
owed her nearly d thousand dollars. Mr..
W GemUTTed about paying the note.
There was quite time about it; but ali
Mrs. WIS. family dealt with her, neither
side wanted an expose, 50 the mattel
was compromised.
"There is no such great harm in it.
The government is rich enough. Mel
are not so rigidly righteous, but they
shiTk their taxes in every possible way
Why should not we women shiIk these
put upon articles which are our peculiar
wear?"
1 afterward met thisswoman with he
basket at a house where they counted
their fOrtuHe by millions, and was con
strained to believe what my friend told
me was true.
1t is curious that women who wOulC
recoil from the slightest imputstiOn 0
dishonesty, who view theft with horror
will defrsud the government by SNUG,
CLING, or by purchasing goods known tC
be smuggled without the least remOrse
of conscience, but with a certain exulta
ton, simply, L believe, because they de-
test taxes, and derive real pleasure
from the exercise of ingenuity in out
whiting officials.
One lady told of purchasing a quantity
OF lace and velvet at trifling cost; theT
came the bother of getting it home with
out paying the duty. She accomplished
this by cutting the velvet in breadth.
for dress skirts, basting these together
and putting on the skirts and on al
other articles SIS much lace as possible
These she packed in her trunk and they
passed for her private wardrobe, although
they filed commissions from her friends
Another brought home diamonds seweC
in the puffings Of diess worn by bel
six-year child.
A New YORK girl about to be married
wss at Genoa, and wished 10 convey tC
America some rolls CT velvet. While
che was exercised about it, there passed
through the city an officer OF the United
States government, accompanied by hi!
wife and sister. The latter, learning the
countIywoman's perplexity, sympa-
thized, and put the velvets in her trunk.
When the party reached New York,
soma Of the gentlemen's friends went in
a small government vessel to take him
from Staten island up TO the city. As
the trunks were passed from the vessel
a custOmhOuse officer said, laying his
hand on one OF them, 81 suppose there
is nothing cOntrabsHd here" Moth
linOU was the reDIV Of both the gentle
man and his wife. His sister was en-
gagged talking and did not hear, and the
Velvets were landed in safety.
| In connection with smuggling, an in
cident was given which was Youched
for as true, and which / tell as told to
me:
A lady occupying q high position at
| Washington, whose husband was of the
government, made a trip to Europe
with him. She "doted" on lace, and
here was her opportunity. Talking OF
the acquisitions she should make in this
line, he told her she should purchase
any reasonable quantity, provided she
would not smuggle any. To this she &C.
ceeded. The gentleman took as part Of
his wardrobe a dressing gown, for like
most Americans. in the privacy Of his
room, be like Il 70 pull off his coat.
Several times on the trip he observed
the care his wife took OF this garment,
and was gratified for her anxiety for his
comfort. Once, when smoking, while
lighting his cigar, he set his gown OF
fire, and quite hole was burned in the
skirt. His wife was considerably agi.
tated, and he was fiattered that so tri-
fling danger to him had so moved her
IL - n