The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-10-27
/ sMUGGLER.s ROMANCE.
How He Risked His Life to Deliver a
Parcel. and fhus Won Beautiful

press involuntary admiration; that will
be natural and offer to buy it. You can
safely do this for the gray-haired gentle
man behind the counter viii courteous
" but firmly say you nay, even while
be produces private box. unstamped.
but containing an article which you will
smoke with delight Then, if you are
a good listener and appear sociaole, he
will, or ut least he did the other even
ING. remark that every mans life has
It's romance, and that he is not rs old
as he looks. He looks at least 80 years,
but his dark ewes are bright, and ms
strong. shapely hands are white and
smooth as boys.
twenty years ago, Just after the
war, he said, putting that unstamped
cigar-bOX out of sight, 1.-The custom
house was Just getting down to work
trying 10 make up for Years of demorali-
zation. The popular idea in regard 10
smuggling was more liberal than now.
and the president might have imported
his brides trousSeau aud cargo Of
whisky and cigars for the white house
without stirring up the entire press Of
the country. / was captain of the Car
men. three-masted schooner, trading
between this port and havana. 1t was
just such a cool August night as this
that the Carmen lay becalmed OF Barne-
gat on her trip south. We lay about =
mile from the Jersey coast. 1t WAS al
most dark when | neard a mans voice
hail us. Suddenly row-boat bumped
our side, and a hatIeSs individual
scrambled aboard with wild glare in
his ewes aud big diamond in his shirt
front He unhitchcd the diamond and
handed it 10 me with the remark: viii
this pay for my passage TO the port YOU
are bound for?' The stone was worth
81, 900 If twas worth anything, and rs
the breeze was springing up | called it
bargain.
Il landed the fugitive in Havana, and
lost sight of him for nearly a year. One
day, however, he came aboard the Car
men Just as | was making ready for
New York. He introduced himself rs
Don Escoaces. He said he WAS getting
rich as a tObacco-grower, and felt that
he owed everything 10 me. | told him
that our accounts were squared. and
asked after the sweetheart he said he
had left behind him.
That was what he wished TO see me
about. Would l take parcel and de-
liver it into her hands az the Brunswick
hotel? 1t contained present of great
value, and he begged that none but the
lady herself open IT. The name Mrs.
Agnes Ansuuther was on the wrapper.
Having presented me with richly
carved rosewood box containing fifty
cigars at least seven inches long and OF
the choicest leaf in the market, Mr.. Don
Escoaces left me with the mysterious
package. The trip north was stormy.
Strangely enough, found myself lying
off Barnegat i'll dead calm on the very
anniversary of my night adventure with
the man whose message of love had
voluntarily undertaken. | had been
wondering all during the voyage how 1
should contrlye TO smuggle the package
unopened through tine custom-house,
Doubtless it contained jewels and it was
pride rather than spirit of daring thai
prompted me TO take a desperate
chance.
Leaving the Carmen in command ot
the first mate, with orders not TO await
my return. had the small boat lowered
and pulled ashore, determined to run
the blockade of the revenue patrol
had the package belted under my shirt
No sooner had I hauled up on the beach
than was hailed by four uniform pick
cts. | scaled the cliff and escaped {
pistol bullet by accidentally stumbling
headlong. Two of the patrol gave chas'
and the other two seized the boat and
rowed for the Carmen. l learned after
ward that breeze sprang up just in
time for her to escape them. l ran as
tD
woods, along an occasional piece OF
road, lodging behind fences and ford
! ing streams, and all the while those two
human hounds hallooed in my track,
| splitting lead after me and arousing g
hundred farm dogs. Once in the moon.
| light they succeeded in hitting me. SeC
that scar on my neck? But l eluded
| them before midnight and reached
| Jersey City shortly after daybreak. tC
be arrested for an escaped burglar. fol
whose capture reward was offered.
81 got out of that scrape by acknowl
| edging that / was only tramp who
had got bullet-bitten in a henroost, ant
lay in the hospital a whole week. Or
| being released | got new suit of clothes
Turkish bath, and flattered myself or
my pale and interesting appearance
| The clerk in the Brunswick hotel sen
| up to my lady the noe of self-introduc
| ton wrote with trembling hand. Sh,
would see me, and opened the door her
| self What vision of loveliness sht
was! Mutely l gave her the packag,
but she courteously insisted that tax,
| some refreshments and little courag'
/ before gratifying her curiosity. L tolC
my story, and her soft, white hand ten
| derly touched the livid scar tnat testi
fed to ITS veracitv. So interested be
came she in my adventure that l haC
turned to go before the seal upon th'
smuggled souvenir had been broken
She opened it with her back toward me
! Suddenly she uttered low cry, hal
| turned. and fell in a swoon. The PACK
age for the sanctity of which l had risk
ed my life. contained, not diamonds
only number of old letters. One wa
not so old. 1t read:
Dear Madam: have just been married &
| Cuban maiden, whose love may enable N
! to forget my dish0norabie past. / feel C m
| PEELED to return these leaves from tho boo
| of memory. and 10 free you from he alleg
ance they protest. l can not ask your forgive
ness. because can not forgive myself
There was the noise of carriage-wheel
at the curb in front of the little stor'
and the urely-old-smuggler an,
tobacconist stopped talking and began
to close up for the night, His auditor
still in suspense, saw a beautiful face a
tine earriage-window.
'.Who is she?n he was asked.
'-Oh, that is my wife. She Away
comes after me. That is her portrait
Her name is Agnes