Connecticut western news., 1894-09-06
THAT STOUT MAN.

In the city of Brussels great deal of very pretty lace is exposed for sale. English women admire this lace and buy it If they go straight from Bel gium 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 8 week in Brussels More attractive than the field of Waterloo and more fascinating than the Musee Wiertz was the Galerie St Hubert Miss Melissa Wyie 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?
 "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 it, returned Miss Annora, because they might take it into their heads to exam inc our boxes.
 "How can we get it through?" unused the elder sister.
 "We must get it throughr' declared the younger sister.
 Presently Annora exclaimed: "I have iti We will wear itl No duty is paid on what one is wearing" "Yes, yes," said Melissa, ''but how | can we wear it? The white will get soiled and the black torn in travelling. | | 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 fiounce, in the most skillful manner, and though the bonnets looked somewhat overdone yet they carried the lace, and it 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 rien declarer-nothing dutiable. In the compartment with them was only one other passenger, 8 stout man of good humored aspect, evidently, from his ex- treme fiabby 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 felt sure | they talked freely to each other.
 ''I suppose, said Melissa, "that my bonnet looks all right? It does not strike the eyes as being too much trimmed, eh, Annora?"
 Well" said Annora, laughing, "it is too much trimmed for good taste, but then on this occasion you have bad taste. What about mine?"
 "Oh, quite artistio, a study in black and white, as the artists say"
 The ladies laughed together, full o1 glee at their coming triumph over the custom house officers The German wore the fatuous grin affected by people who listen to language which they do not understand.
 At last the train slowed into BlandaiI station, the frontier. Out jumped the Misses Wylie with their hand baggage They calmly awaited the approach o1 the officers. Out numbered the German with his fatuous smile He sauntereG up to one of the chief of the douane
 "Rien a declarer, said both ladies.
 Eau de cologne, dentelles, tabac spiritueux" Cologne water, lace, to |
 ''Rien, rien,'' said the Misses Wylie
 The man said nothing more, and tn, ladies, expecting the cry of, "Et vol ture, s'il vous plait!" felt extremely happy.
 But at that moment the official tt whom the German had been speaking came up to them ana salo, rn very Tai English, "The ladies are fond of lace?' r Their hearts sank within them Rather, they conceded
 And to carry it on the bonnet is convenient manner of avoiding the du ty."
 They were undonei
 "But we are wearing it'' screeche' . Annora Melissa panted
 "Mesdames, admire your ingenuity but such an amount of new lace canno be passed even on your bonnets Two three, five meters" he went on, meas urina the unlucky lace with his us