The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-10-23

| ' PA0S0o d1 d Glllo, ny rOp
and windlass. Each lot thus LITE,
out was put upon a hand-truck an,
wheeled up the wharf by 'longshore
man, past all the passengers
who scanned each truck-load, ant
claimed their own when they recog-
nlzed it. AS fast as a passenger Sc
cured all his belongings. he went to
desk set up on the wharf, and showing
his number to the official in charge
mad an inspector detailed to follow
him back to his little island of bag
gage, for it to undergo inspection. II
each lady unattended by man fe
male Inspector was detailed; to each
man, or man and family, male in.
spector was told off. The trunks and
bags and hold-alls, and even the hat.
boxes, are all gaping like SO many
fishes beached in a storm, and the in.
spectors and inspectresses are delv.
ing in the receptables. mercilessl y
disarranging the packing that was
produced by SO much care, and per-
haps even by professional packers
hired in London or Paris.
The employment of female inspect
ors in numbers sufficient to meet even
the midsummer demand at the one
great port of the nation has proved a
great convenience to all our lady voy-
ayers, except those "supects'' who
have to submit to personal examina-
ton. There are twenty of these in
spectresses, and they are detailed
to each incoming ship in the proper
ton of one to each thirty cabin pas
sengers. 1t is quite possible for more
than half a ship-load of Homecoming
passengers to land and undergo the
customs ordeal without being aware
OF the presence of these inspectresses,
for they are of lady-like appearance
and department, and the tiny badges
they display only when they are act.
ually at work easily escape notice.
So far as / heard, in this case, no
passenger was called upon to pay any
d uty upon any thing, and no passenger
was taken aside to be searched. This
disagreeable necessity occurs very in
frequently. 1t does occur when what
is found in the trunks gives proof of
clear intent to smuggle; when jewelry
is found sewed into clothing or slipped
in with the straw or paper used in
packing other things. It occurs still
more frequently when guitar anxiety
are written on the face and reflected
in the behavior of the person whose
baggage is undergoing inspection. In
such cases the mspectresses deal with
wife apart from her husband, taking
her into the little building or room
used for the purpose, and to be found,
in some form or other, on every steam.
ship company's wharf. The men are
examined by officials of their own sex
in the same way.
l repeat, however, that, so far as !
heard, no one was found guilty of on
deavoring to bring in more than Uncle
Sans good-nature would allow. How |
1t was about the Judges curtains did |
not hear, though he and his wife de-
,lared at the last that they would put
The unhappy purchase on top of every
hing, in full view. and would volun-.
eer to pay whatever duty was re-
CURED. But there did float back upon
The wind of rumor, few days later,
IN almost incredible tale. 1t was to
he effect that the little lady who
ewed SO placidly upon her quilt, far
beyond the clouds of borrowed trouble
m the voyage. was a practiced SNUG
,ler. 1t was said that into every patch
she laid on she sewed diamond to be
in for relative in the
ewelry business. merely repeat the
umor-and with the incredulity felt |
vhen first heard iL.-Julian Ralph.
n Harper's Weekly.