The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-07-02

0Ry~ ton, we're so years
ago and upward,
much affected by defrauders OF the
revenue, and others, who had but
scant respect for national laws and
customs. IN one of the most seclud-
ed of these stood a small house, which
bore somewhat dubious reputation.
Few even OF the hardy residents in
the district cared to approach it after
nightfall; the characters OF its inmates
were too well known. The very APP
pearance al the house was against it.
1t was, apparently, entirely cut off
from the outside world. No amount
of search awaited to discover any
direct entrance to its interior. The
massive dingy walls were wholly inno-
cent ofdoorways; but, abutting upon
one corner OF the building, stood a
dilapidated cowhouse. 1t was through
this forbidding entrance that the
house must be reached. il it were
reached at all. Here, after probably
falling over a spitefully disposed long
horned COW, the explorer would be
sharply brought up by q hidden of
broken crockery, bottles and sharp
fragments of tin and iron, the accum.
ulation of many years. Only after a
safe and fortunate steerage between
this Scylla and Charybdis OF bovine
malice and cottar rubbish could the
den OF the occupant OF the house be
reached.
This was a single large room, in
which all the Lares and Penates were
exposed to view ut a glance. The
floor was composed of clay, the
tenacious clay, OF the fens; not
smoothe and attractive, il homely,
but rough-cast and angular az a
newly macadamized road. The
apartment boosted only OF n single
window, set high IN the wall. This
was often stopped with tailess coat,
q wisp of hay and sacks half-filled
with rubbish. Above stretched q
number of roughly beams, or rafters,
brlstling with sticks, fagots and brush
wood, upon which were stored the
winters supply OF peats and turfs,
with, perhaps something more. The
ouly means of access to this apart
ment, il such it might be called was
by ladder, or stee.
In the bustling times OF the Napoleo-
mic wars this gruesome castle OF desc
lation was the home of a noted SNUG
gler named Jock Stockoe, who was
welcomed, or feared and hated, ac-
cording to the characters and callings
with him. Jock was well fitted for
his risky life, for he was IL man OF
herculean proportions, and was pos
sessed OF immense strength and q
resolution OF iron. He conducted a
large and widely extended trade in
brandy, Hollands, laces, teas and q
thousand and one excisab BILE commodi-
ties upon which he should have paid
duty, but did not do so.
1t SO happened that the principal
exciseman for the district died; and,
shortly afterward, O stranger was
appointed to the post. This caused
some disappointment among the
members OF the staff, who had looked
for promotion all around; but the
ways OF governments are inscrutable.
The newcomer was not long before he
heard of Jock Stockoe, and he resol-
we'd to bring that worthy to book.
Like wise man, he awaited his oppor-
tunity, well knowing that many a
bird has been lost by premature
springing OF the trap. He had not
long to wait.
Tidngs reached him, in some mex
plicable manner, that q valuable car
90 of spirits had been run, and was
hidden away upon Stockoe's premis-
es. Without O. moments unnecessary
delay, the supervisor applied to the
nearest resident magistrate for q
search-warrant.
"Let sleeping dogs lie, mon," said
the worthy, when he was fully appris.
ed OF his visitors errand. "What has
the honest fellow done to you that
you should want to harry him thus"
duty demands it," replied the
gauger, pompously. "IIis most grac-
ious Majesty has been robbed too
long, and too barefacedly, under the
very noses of his faithful subjects. It
is time that these faithless looms
learned that the law is stronger than
they"
"But who do you think, mon, will
have the impudence to serve this?"
queried the worthy official, who even
then had some OF Jocks brandy in his
cellars, while his lady openly partook
of the smuogler's tea.
"That will your worship, answer
ed the exciseman.
"Be it so. suppose you know that
Jock has sworn to brain the first rev.
enue officer who dares to set foot
within his doors?"