Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1888-01-07
SPYING OUT STRUGGLED GOODS.

SPYING OUT STRUGGLED GOODS.
Work Of the Women Inspectors Ct the New
York. Custom House.
The docksof any of the European
Steamship companies is an excellent
place to see for yourself whether the
women inspectors earn their money.
A woman writer for the World went
over to New Jersey with two of the
women inspectors recently. They we're
very companionable women, receiving
the stranger pleasantly, and one, a
fourteen-year office-holder, giving all
possible information as to the rules,
regulations, and experiences. Amid
the hustle and excitement that attend
the landing of a ship load of passen-
gers the women inspectors stand on
one side of a portable desk, the men on
the other, and as the first man or
woman comes up with his slip declar
ing his baggage an inspector is assigned.
Imagine, for instance, the first passen-
ger whose trunks are opened. 1t is
trying time. The woman inspector
begins on the first opened trunk by
making dive at the big canvas catch
all made to hang up in the state-room.
She empties all the pockets, feels for
the sponge, shakes the tOoth-powder
vigorously, gives the comb and brush
crack and drops them so the next turn
will slide the things all out among the
clothes. The next thing is warm
shawl carefully pinned up in towel.
THAT towel has never been washed?"
Out come the pins and into the in
spector's mouth they 60. The shawl
is passed, but the 10-cent towel is
strung over the back of the trunk.
There's basket down at the bottom of
the trunk. Out it comes, but it con-
tains nothing but the second-best bon
net. Shake the shoes! Rattle the
modest little common-sense slippers!
Open the puff-box! Smell the cologne!
Unfold the prin little homemade I'M
fiaunt their hens and
tucks to the breeze. They probably
need airing, anyway. Scratch the cor
ners, tap the bottom of the trunk, and
that one is done. Then another one is
gone through in the same manner.
Every little poverty of possession will
be displayed and its owner will blush
and beg and eXpoStulate all through,
but the stern fingers of justice will get
through that trunk despite it all and
will fetch out at the end six cheap tow
els and a few little childish trinkets
not worth appraising.
The last thing out the tired inspector
stcaightens her aching back. mops her
face with her handkerchief, gratefully
puts her chalk-marks on the trunks
and hampers, gives back her mouthful
of pins, and goes to tell her friends that
''that woman nearly drove her crazy
with her talk. If they would only I'M
lock their trunks and hold their tongues
we wouldn't get nervous, and they
would be likely to come out good deal
better" So says this experienced |
woman, who, after all, has been only
doing her duty. The entire perform
ance, seen once from beginning to end,
gives you complete idea of the value |
of these women inspectors, their quick |
eyes and quick wits. And surely no |
man could detect the dutiable from |
the undutiabie goods in a woman's !
trunk as these lively, energetic women |
do.
And the hard-heartedness they must |
Indicate against tender, coaXing dam
sells is really touching. Here are two |
fair Boston flowers. One is short and |
the other is tall, and both are specta-
cled and wary. Both are like ice in the |
cool way that they meet the vigilance |
1--WE have few tribes"
they say, 'but they are quite our own"
and they Herewith put their arms |
about the grim inspectors plump waist. |
I'm sure" says one, laying her head |
on the shoulders of the |
law, ''you never saw such badly packed |
trunks; but really, / was so disguised |
with my old buds when had to bring |
them back again just don't care"
tim sure" said the other, ''my |
things must look very common after the |
elegant things you see every day."
herewith religiously laying out some |
trinkets of one kind and |
another. An hour later you pass by |
hose danes from Boston. All the |
,olors of the rainbow lie about them,
md they are listening meekly to the |
words of the appraiser: "About $50 |
luty, madam, for each Of you."-Ne,c
York World.
Some Old Stories.