Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-05-24
Curiou. stories Of Smuggling.

Perhaps the oldest phase Of smuggling {tor
MR 1t eeas
ard as carried on openly in full view OF the
pleven;iyes and all the Inhabitants of the town
Leshe: a boy.nets OF exorb.tant dimensions
Trey were huge straw platts, nearly circular,
ara averaging about yard in diameter; theF
81 q In England a; Two 10 three or more sulneaS
half their cast was the duFy paid on importing
them. Now, according to the law, duty Is not
demandable on any a dsoier 81 dless worn by
triyed to profit enormously by this law He
hired numerous troop OF poorest women and
girls-ragged, squaltd and wretched- looking
Creatures fhey were, to be sure-and paid then
almost nominal fee for accompanying him
daily in his voyages to AMI from TIE Frp1cN
coast. contracting WIFE the captain Of cae az
the Steamers for season tickets for the whole of
them. The troop regularly left Dover in the
morning with scarcely a handful OF bonnet on
afford to dine. and came back Ia the aftern01S
two or three score OF them, each with brand
new Leghorn of fullest dimensions on her head
stuffed in her pocket. On landing they were
ali marched 10 the SPECTATORS warehouse. de,
nuded OF their luxurious coiffureS and dismts,et
for the day. A hundred times at least have |
seen these forlorn and tattered purveyors of
fashion both going out and coming In, and 7
could tell the boat they Travelled by, while 1t
Der line which under cloudy Sky would glim-
mer Ike streak of sunshine ere the hull Of the
vessel was distinctly visible.
Gals IS not keIy snoa the 3e
die out Is that practiced by tourists, who think
1T allowable to shirk paying duty on things
which they have bought for their own use.
Public morals on this point are slightly elastic
and those Of the gentler sex especially are apt
to think that nothing compels them to declare
volumes of Tauchnitz, cases of eau de Cologne
yards Of Lyons silk or pieces OF Brussels lace
Here is story which will illustrate feminine
notions On this subject, and perhaps convey
moral: 4 Belgian bridegroom, being about to
by his bride that she thought Of concealing sew
eral thousand francs worth OF lace about her,
hoping by its sale to pay the cost OF their jour
frugal project, and pointed out that there were
custom house officers and female searcher at
Elcqueltnes, who were sometimes struck with
gers pockets. This, he said, being timid an,
and his bride, to humOr him, promised to give
up her plan, but then she secreted the lace at
the same tin time without telling him about It,
frontier, the husband reflected that II his wife
were not searched his fears would be Knocked
at as having been groundless, and he would
impaired. This was not desirable; rather it
was essential that he should from tire very
outset assert his infalllbility. So when the
train stopped at Ercquelines and the passen-
gers alighted, the Belgian bridegroom LEFT his
brides arm for moment, and siding up
to q douanier, whispered, Il think II you
SColCu lduJ yOuuCI yOu uldy uuu SDluc
Lace The douanier wfnked; the happy bride
was accosted with the invitation to walk into
the female searcherS room. She turned pale,
tOttered, but was led away, and five minutes
later dismal sounds OF Mysteries were heard
Then the dOuanier reappeared, and said to the
Mortified husband, Thank you, sir; it's good
capture. The lady will be taken to prison, and
half the fine will go to you. This was painful
adventure, but II does not follow that all hus-
bands are so 1Iconstderate, nor that all ladies
who s1nuggle lace are caught.
A more amusing anecdote on this subject was
lately told at public dinner Dy NJ. Ferdinand
Duval, project OF the Seine. He said that the
octroi men Ct Paris, who levy the municipal
barrier dues, are most v1gilant set OF fellows,
but that. having boosted Of their merits, he {5he
pIefect) had been caught. A friend of his, re
siding at st. Cloud, had made small bet that
he would introduce pig into Paris in his
bTougham without the OctrOi men detecting 1t
NJ. Duval took the bet, and strict orders were
given at all the gates Of Paris to look out for
the brougham of the friend in question. Within
less than week, however, the project received
the sum Of so centfmes, being the amount of
duty lev1able on pig, and request to come
and assure himself that the quadruped had
been successfully Struggled In. It turned ou;
that the pig, killed and scalded, had been
dressed up In wOman'S clothes, and had been
driven into Paris seated triuInphantly on the
box beside the coachman. Since then the octroi
men, it is said, stare with some fixity at plump
women when they behold them on carriage
boXeS.-[Leisure Hours.