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

panied by a certainty of detection. A
she put it, the Judge would have locke
like the slice of ham in half of a SAND
wich If he put the coat on with the cu1
tains sewed into it.
On these accounts the Judge felt pre-
voked at the demure quilt-maker TO
taking no interest in what to him wa
as interesting as the sentence at tn
end OF trial is apt to be to prisoner
"You don't seem to be at all con
cerned about the custom-h house, miss,
said he.
MOT at all, she replied.
well. how is that?" he asked.
because I'm bringing nothing du
table, she replied.
well, l am" said he. i've 90
two pairs of lace curtains, and nv wife
Is making me SO nearly crazy abou
them that if this voyage lasts three
days longer I'll either throw them
overheard, or I'll walk right ashore
with them over my arm, and I'll cal
out: Here's what I've been trying tc
run through; here's what made me feel
more like a sneak than ever felt be.
fore; here's what's Slapped my man.
hood for seven long"
ut was very foolish to buy lace
curtains" said the quilt-maker, softly.
but now that you have got them, the
only thing to do is to put them at the
bottom OF whichever trunk has got all
your soiled linen in it, then pile the
linen on top. Inspectors aren't apt to
60 much farther when they come to
that point"
Madame" said the Judge, II know
why you've got nothing dutiable. You
know too much. You're too level
headed. The consequence is you're
about the only one on board who is
really enjoying the trip"
The quilt-maker smiled and went on
with her sewing. The others con-
tinued their worry. The moving tales
of happenings to other persons in the
past came to an end at last, and the
uneasiness might have been tenn
porarily allayed had not an old trav-
eler, who had held aloof from every
body and every thing except the poker
players and the smoke-room, been in
dlscreetly questioned about the course
he had always pursued toward the
custom-house men. 1t was an extra
nervous and loquacious lady who asked
him the question. His answer, re-
peated by her to every body on the
deck, was like bomb-shell.
my plan is very simple" said he;
81 tell nobody on shipboard what I've
got l deal only with the inspector
who examines my luggage. These
ships are full of custom-house spies.
They report what they have learned
from the gossip of their fellow passen-
gers, and the inspectors have no
course left except to do their duty"
The ship full of spies! There was a
state OF things! 1t capped the climax
Every man and woman tries to absent
himself and herself from.all the Others,
in order 10 recollect just whom they
had conversed with, and what they had
told them. The ladies who had
brought their knick-knack of silver
and china and gold on deck to show to |
one another were in fever of alarm.
The Judge and his wife, who had al
Owed every soul on board to know
about the lace curtains, were in an
agony OF apprehension. In large
measure the passengers now began to
suspect one another of being custom
house spies. The tension in the cabin
vas such that had it been transferred
o the boilers it would have been dam
,erous.
The next incident of the voyage was
he arrival Of the two officers, who
anne aboard at Staten Island, to re-
GIVE the declarations of the passen-
'ers. A curious mental process, upon
which there is no room here to dwell.
lad gradually brought about general
tifling of conscience, accompanied by
he assumption that, after all, no one
lad any thing that was really dutiable;
xcepting the Judges lace curtains, of
curse. and the jewelry and spoons and
and watches that would 90
the gentlemen's pockets, and there
ore did not count, since it was under
TODD that the searching of pockets
as rare occurrence. Therefore all
greed that they would say they had
othing dutiable, and all asserted that
ley felt easy of mind and conscience
doing so. This was so largely the
eneral agreement that one pledged
le other not to break the compact,
ut to be firm and say they had moth
'g, when asked the question. What
len, shall be said OF human nature
hen it Is known that ESQ far as one
an was able to Judge by what he was
I'D and observed) nearly every pas
niger, on coming to the crucical ;
pint, weakened. and gave the !
Ulcers a general idea of what he had
lat might call for an enforcement =,
the law. Not what he or she had
his or her pockets-.mere trifes /,
'u know" of jewelry and precious
ones-but the Delft plates, and the
tits for the eldest boy at home, and
le cheap etchings, and hint of all
le things that had to be left in the