St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-13
DEVICES OF SMUGGLERS.
How Liquors Were Brought Int
EngIand--The Baby Trick.


EngIand--TheB Baby Trick.
Brandy has been smuggled in blad-
ders, otherwise in oil tins. More than
once these bladders have been found
among a wOman's underclothing. Many
of the hauls have been made at Dover,
the smuggiers' landing from the Calais
packet. The bladders are, as a rule
pretty trustworthy. though they have
been known to leak with disastrous re-
suits, says the Strand Magazine.
This was what brought very elabor-
ately-dressed lady to grief a little time
ago at Dover. She had kept very much
to herself on the run over and was
thought to be rather unwell. Her only
luggage, small bag, was examined and
passed as she started Off-rather hur-
riedly. This was nothing extraordinary,
perhaps, in itself, but her gait was an
odd one-she wobbled.
Now. many people wobble when they
leave the Calais boat, and even this
might have passed UNDECIDED were it not
for very strong smell of brandy
something more than the smell of a
mere fiask-and small liquid trail
which marked the webbing lady's path.
Somebody went after that hapless lady,
and she was, with great deal of diff
Guilty, prevailed upon-the trickling
stream eXpatiating into goodly pool
the while-to submit herself TO the in
veStigations of female Searcher.
Then the cause of the SecluSiOD, the
haste, the wobble, the smell and the
puddle became obvious. Somewhere
about twenty long bladders full of
strong cognac had been used to trim
one of the unfortunate lady's pstticoatS,
and one of these bladderS had sprung a
leak.
Women have often found their skirts
and bodlceS useful aids to smuggling,
and the reign of crinoline or dress I'M
proven is their opportunity. India rubber
dress improyers distended with brandy.
and petticoats quilted heavily with to-
baccO. are weil-known plans for defeat
ing the revenue officers.
The story of the Calais-Dover baby is
pretty we'll known. 1t was always so
uuwell. poor dear. and its face had to
be kept heavily yelled from the cold
wind. Notwithstanding this, it was al
ways being carried back and forth be-
tween England and France by the inter-
esting young mother; never cried, and
never, somehow, grew out of long
clothes.
The custom house officers-married
So that, next time, the most married
man among them ventured to insist OH
being introduced to the interesting lit
tie creature. He had difficulty in con-
vincing the lady of his amiable inten-
tons. and, indeed, had to use little
force before discovering that the baby
was an entirely artificial sort of infant,
chiefly tobacco. but largely lace.
This sort of baby was much quieter
and less troublesome than the ordinary
kind, and worth more money-lace be-
ing dutiable at that time as we'll as to-
baccO. Still there is reason to believe
that the lady afterward gave up that
class of baby.
Clocks and watches are not dutiable
under English customs laws, but they
are so in France. This is what led TO
the sad disaster to the French lady who
had bought charming drawing room
clock in Switzerland and essayed to
cross the frontier with iler bargain worn
as dress improver.
1t was capital idea, and would have
| succeeded admirably, were it not that,
while the lady was assuring the dounan-
Ter that there was nothing dutiable
about her, the clock solemnly struck 10.