Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-06-14
LETTER FROM NEW YORK

ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MoN1ToRl
New YORK, June z, 1880.
AS every one knows who was ever
brought in contact with it, the United
States tariff is one of those things no fell
low can find out. 1t is one of those high
mysteries which inspire awe by their
very incomprehensibility. A new
idiosyncracy of this fearful document
has this week developed itself at the
port of New York, namely, that crude
saints may be imported into this coun-
try free of duty, while manufactured
saints, so to speak. must pay duties like
iron or silk or salt or other valuable
commodity. The circumstances which
throw light upon this important and
hitherto unconsidered point were as fol-
lows.
A few days ago large packing case
arrived here on the steamer Caledonian
from Gibraltar. and on Tuesday it was
opened and found to contain a hand
some, euriously wrought box of stained
wood supported on gilded claws. When
the lid which secured the front was
opened, there was disclosed wax fig
ure representing young man with an
unusual growth of Yellowish hair lying
about face whose features were ex-
tremely feminine. This interesting
piece of waxwork was the Saint Disco
Illus, martyr, who had been shipped in
his fine box all the way from the moth
er house of the Sisters of st. Joseph in
Rome, to the convent of st. Joseph in
st. Louis. The bones of Dlscolius are
said to have been found in the Gaia
combs, where they had lain some time
after their possessor had yielded up the
ghost in behalf of Christianity. The
good sisters of st. Joseph in Rome seem
to have thought great deal of Disco
Illus, for they fixed him up real nice be-
fore starting him on his journey tt
America. When Dicolius was found il
the Catacombs there was not very much
of him, only few dried bones, which
were by no means sanity enough fol
his fair worshippers in Rome. They
therefore, dressed out their sacred skel
eton in wax and put long hair on him
all of which preparation made him lool
quite young and charming.
The saint is placed upon his bacl
and his head rests upon crimson sill
cushions embroided with gold. A crow
of flowers rests upon his head, which i
also encircled by golden halo. Tn
body is clothed in rich silk of variet
of colors, all extensively embroidere'
with gold. One hand lies upon tn
chest and holds within its grasp
branch of palm, the other is stretches
along the body's side. The legs ar
quite artistically arranged, one bein
stretched out at full length while tn
other is somewhat drawn up. In orde
that no may doubt the reality of tn
saint his legs and arms are left partl
bare.
In vain did the customs officials see
for precedent to govern their action i
this somewhat startling case. The
found that divers and sundry saints ha
been imported since the foundation
the republic, but always heretofore
a crude condition, that is, as a bunch
} of bones, or a jar of ashes, or lock
hair; and that in those shapes they col
tributed nothing to the national rev
nues. So they claimed that if M
Discolius had come to this country as
skeleton, without his wax and fine clot
r es, that they would not have charge
him cent of duty. But as it wa
they could not exactly see how thu
!, could be loyal to Uncle Sam and pa
, in so fine a casket, such elegant 81
and so much wax, without charging al