The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-03-09
A LITTLE DIPLOMACY.
1t Was Worth More Than Bluff to
a Revenue Collector.

a Revenue Collector.
| Some years ago received Temporary
! appointment in the internal revenue
| department, and was assigned to the
duty of looking up violations of the
| law in regard To manufactured tobacco
| All reported irregularities were referred
10 me for investigation i was tel
| cgraphed by the collector at Nashville,
/ upon one occasion, 20 go To Shelbyville
| Immediately and take action in a case
| where a manufacturer, j. ii. Ladd. had
J been, using Cancelled revenue stamps
When l arrived, found Capt Nor
| ville, the district deputy, awaiting me
| with a posse of half a dozen men.
Ladd lived twelve or thirteen miles from
| Shelbyviile, in the richest section of
| the county. | explained to Norville
| that there was no necessity of going
| that night as Ladd could not remove
| his property if he were disposed to do
50; that we would start before day in
| order to make the trip, effect the seiZ-
| ure and return that night / learned
| the following from him: He had come
mp with two of Ladd's wagons a couple
of days before in an adjoining county
laden with plug tobacco put up in
boxes varying in weight from twenty
five To one hundred pounds each; that
the stamps on them had been reused;
that he had gone the next oay with a
deputy United States marshal to seize
the factory; that when he arrived old
man Ladd was not at home and the fac
tory was locked. He had gone to the
dwelling for the keys, when Mrs Ladd
told servant to look for them. She, in
the meantime, stepped out into the
yard and rang the farm bell as vigor-
ously as if the building was on fire.
IN few moments three of Ladd's sons
and a hired man rushed TO the house as
fast as their horses could carry them
they had been plowing-Mrs. Ladd met
them at the gate, and, he supposed,
explained the situation. They came
into the house, large two-story frame
with l.. and in a moment into the
room where he was sitting, waiting for
the girl to findthe keys, armed with
shotgunS
Mrs. Ladd then abused the officer for
everything she could think of, and or
dered him to leave and not to stand on
the order of going; that if he did not
she would have him and the deputy
killed and thrown into the hogpen,
where they ought to be. The old man
did not stand well in the collectors
office, and when NorviIle returned and
reported the situation by telegraph L
was ordered to the scene. / told him
to secure a carriage that would accom-
modate three besides the driver, and an
hour before day we were en- route over
IA fine turnpike road. When we got in
front of the houseI saw two men go in
from one side, and noticed several faces
at the window. two of them females. 1
-, a 70
factory almost in the rear of the dwell
ing and at a corner of the garden fence.
Leaving the party in the hack l re-
Jurned to the house, entering 10y what 1
afterwards ascertained TO be the rear
door of the kitchen. An elderly white
woman and a negro girl were in the
room, washing the dishes and clean
ing up after breakfast. l asked
politely if this was Mrs Ladd- She
ierIled out a yes" approached and ex-
tended my hand, assuring her was very
glad to see her. and giving my name
! was so friendly, greeted her SO cor
daily, that she was nonplussed for
moment When | asked if Mr.. Ladd
was in she answered yes" in a more
pleasant tone, at the same time point
ing To a door leading to the main build
ing.
opened il and walked in, and there
sat four men and a fourteen-year-o
boy, all except the old man having a
double barrel shotgun lying across his
lap. l approached the old man and
said:
This is Mr.. Ladd, presume?''
''Yes, that is my name"
| gave him mine
These are your sons, L presume?"
- tI, -
Turning To the one nearest me l said:
Your name?"
James"
well, James. how do you do? / am
| glad To see you. You favor your ia
ther. Eye and forehead exactly"
/ inquired the name of every one,
| shook hands with each, complimented
ZACH Here / stopped, when the old
! man said:
stranger, since you have got ac-
luainted with all the boys, there Is
two more you ought to know. One is
my wife and the other my daughter.
.Marinda, Marinda, you and Zoa
| come in here" he called.
explained that L had met his wife,
| and a most charming lady she was, but
Marinda came in and l was formally
introduced to her, and shook hands
| With her again, and -complimented her
| IN her manly boys. Then the daugh-
ter came in, who was indeed a modest,
sweet girl of sixteen. / could read in
| the face of every one of them: What
| does all this mean? After l had
| talked awhile about the weather and
| crops, asked Mr.. Ladd to step into an
| adjoining room with me, as l wished To
| talk to him privately.
''Ohl no, not any, if you please. IL
| YOU have any business with me blurt
| II out. This family has no secrets"
Ithen told him that had heard that he
| rad had some trouble with Capt. Nor
al think Mercedes would like TO go
with us, said |.
mo doubt it would be a treat for
| her, poor girl my wife responded.
Come here, little oneI' beckoning the
| child to a seat by her side. ''Do you
never get lonely here by yourself?"
''Ah, no, sonora! / have always this,
| stretching out her hands with a tender
| gesture toward the sea 1t had muir
| INJURED her cradle lullaby. and she knew