Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-05-17
THAT STOUT MAN.

In Une Guy w Dfueooio o SGSaV u0oA VA
very pretty lace is exposed for sale
English women admire this laee and
buy IL. II they 60 straight from Bel
GUM to England. they can take it home
without having to pay any duty, but If
they pass through France they have to
pay on all their new Brussels lace at
the French custom house And many
English women pass through France on
their way from Belgium to England,
because they prefer. the short passage
from Calais to Dover to the longer one
from Ostend
The Misses Wylie were charming,
middle aged ladies, fond Of travel,
fond Of dress, fond Of lace and very bad
sailors. They had been excursioning In
Germany, had come down the Rhine
and had spent week In Brussels More
attractive than the field Of Waterloo
and more fascinating than the Musee
Wiertz was the Galerie St Hubert.
Miss Melissa Wylie could not resist the
white Brussels lace; Miss Annora Wy
lie could not resist the black. Each Of
the ladies bought led on by the tempter,
in the shape Of seductive shop wom-
an, the Misses Wylie bought lace fchus,
lace collarettes, lace by the meter. Day
by day they added to their stock.
At length it was necessary to make
for England and to pass through that
dreadful France with its protective du-
ties. Then they realized their position.
How about the lace?
1--WE cannot conscientiously say"
remarked Miss Melissa, "that we have
rien a declarer nothing to declare)
because this lace is dutiable"
"And we dare not risk packing 1t, !"
returned Miss Annora, because they
might take it into their heads to exam
inc our boxes.'
"How can we get it throughF' mused
the elder sister.
"We must get it through" declared
the younger sister.
Presently Annora exclaimed: II have
it'll We will wear 1t! No duty is paid
OIL WllaG Ou6 lS WCAIluS.
"Yes, yes," said Melissa, "but how
can we wear it? The white will get
soiled and the black torn in travelling.
Besides, If it looks unnatural, as it
would on our dresses and mantles the
officials will be sure to notice it."
"It would not look unnatural on our
bonnets," said Annora.
They set to work to decorate their
bonnets with the lace. They mingled
white and black, fichu and flounce, in
the most skillful manner, and though
the bonnets looked somewhat overdone,
yet they carried the lace, and 1t was
probable that the male eyes Of the Gus
tom house officials would not notice
anything abnormal.
The Misses Wylie rejoiced in their
cleverness They sat in the train on
their way to France with clear con-
sciences and light hearts. They had Hien
q declarer-nothing dutiable. In the
compartment with them was only one
other passenger, stout man Of good
humored aspect evidently, from his ex-
treme fabby stoutness and his extreme
good humor, middle class German
Now. Germans who understand English
are very sociable with their English fel-
low travellers As this German did not
address the Misses Wylie, they fels sure
that he did not understand English. and
they talked freely to each other.
81 suppose" said Melissa. ''that my
bonnet looks all right? It does not strike
the eyes as being too much trimmed,
eh, Annora2"
"Well." said Annora laughing 'it
is too much trimmed for good taste, but
then on this occasion you have bad taste.
What about miner
"Oh, quite artistic, % study in black
and white. as the artists say"
The ladies laughed together, full Of
glee at THAR coming triumph over the
custom house officers. The German wore
the fatuous grin affected by people who
listen to a language which they do not
| understand
At last the train slowed into Blandain
station, the frontier. Out jumped the
Misses Wylie with their hand baggage.
They calmly awaited the approach od
the officers Out numbered tho German
with his fatuous smile. He sauntered
up to one of the chief Of the douana
''Rien q deolareE, F" said both ladies'
"Eau dc cologne, dentelles tabac,
spiritueux" COLOGNE water, lace to-
bacco, spirits). the officer ran of.
"Rien, rien," said the Misses Wylie.
The man said nothing more. and the
ladies, expecting tho cry Of "Et vol
ture, sill vous plaitr felt extremely
happy
But at that moment the official te
whom the German had been speaking
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