The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-14
TIGER AND LADY.


the earth, but that time, alasl is not yot.
We are compelled to open our valises and
allow n customs official to rummago among
our underwear, searching for tobacco and
such things which he might know, If he
were n travelling man, were deftly con-
cealed elsewhere. Each country has It's
own little playful ways pertaining to tho
collection of duty.
But this story Is not intended to hinge
on the customs of our country, and the
foregoing are merely moral reflections on
the manners and customs of nations which
suppose themselves to DO civilized. "Man-
ners none; customs beastly," was tho terse
report Of the man who was asked to write
an account of tho manners and customs of
the Polynesian islands, and I think tho
remark might perhaps BIO applied to tho
revenue departments of some governments
which it may be rs we'll not to name.
Customs arc beastly, no matter where ono
happens to meet them, and think tho man.
ners OF some continental countries who
order Traveller out of train in tho mid
die OF the night in order to have his bag
gage examined are tho least to DO COM
monded. OF course u train in Europe la
not very comfortable method Of travel
ing ab Iiiu 'pvst, nevertheless sometime,
one does get chance to go to sleep on the
night journey, and tho brutality of being
routed up to take part in n ceremony
which no intellectual man can possibly DO
interested in makes sometimes oven tho
mildest hammered person indulge in Ian
gunge that he deeply regrets afterward
No; this story is not about customs, ex-
copt In SO far AS tho custom house acci-
dentnlly intrudes itself Tho object of the
narrative Is 10 give an illustration to tho
notable remark made by tho late Sam
Patch, when he jumped over Niagara falls
namely, that "Some things can be done
as vol az some Others" and tho phrase
may be varied by saying that some things
can be accomplished ono way when failure
attends all efforts in another direction.
1t WAS just 1918 O'Clock at night when
tho fast train going to Paris drew up at
the frontier. Tho carriages were of tho
corridor pattern, which Europeans vainly
imagine is the American plan. narrow
passage ran along ono side OF the carriage
and, opening out from this, wero num-
Der or compartments, each seating eight
persons. The Lady and tbs Tiger had
been on tho train since it started in tho
afternoon at O'Clock on tho previous day,
and SO had choice Of places. 1 sat in one
corner by tho window, and the Lady sat
in corner opposite. AS the train went
on toward Franco the empty places gradu-
full that ono or two wretched persons were
pacing up and down the corridor or trying
to get places on little uncomfortable hinged
seats attached to the side Of the passage
with patent spring somewhere which
made the lid Zip up against the wall when
tho sitter roso to his feet. l remember
this habit of the little hinge shelf because
on one occasion when rose to stretch my
self sat down, expecting tho scat to be
still there, which it wasn't. 1 woke up
suddenly on reaching the floor and exam
ined tho mechanism of the continuance
with interest, and perhaps just "a shade Of
annoyance.
The French are rcputed to lie a ro,i+n
nation, and although L knew ~ ,vul.
cross the border some time after miGn.....,
and that we would meet tho inevitable
custom house, thought the examination
OF baggage would be somewhat superficial,
and that maybe u customs officer would
come through the train and look ut the
smaller pieces Of luggage without disturb
ing us to any great extent. Such how
ever, was far from being the case We
We're told rather gruffly that we must
leave the train and that every one must
take with him his hand baggage. stag
gered out somnolently under tho load, and
tho Lady was compelled to como also with
couple of shawl straps, because there
was more of her luggage than I could
carry Mt ono time. Wc were kept on tho
platform shivering with cold for awhile,
then two big doors were opened, and we
trooped III, placing our impedimonta on O
low bench, behind which stood the uni
formed French customs official.
When the examination was done and
the baggage chalked, We had to whit Mt
tho other end of tho cold room until other
doors were opened, and then were allowed
10 Bot ouU once moro to the platform and
INTO tho Train When staggered on board
and pussed along tho narrow corridor To
our compartment, thought at FIRST that I
mad made mistake, because an oldish
man sat in the corner in which the Lady
had intended to journey to Paris. A sec
ond look, however, had satisfied mo that
TINS was tho compartment we had occu-
plcu, ana said to tho man, quito politely.
Tor thought the taking of another's sent
had been accidental:
II beg your pardon but this place be-
longs to tho Lady"
Tho man shrugged his shoulders and
said that no deeply regretted tho circum-
stances, Dut INC place belonged TO him I'M
til we reached Paris, in tho morning.
ION, }" L cried hotly, this won't do. YOU
Know This place is taken and has been
taken since tho train started. You will
have to get place somewhere else"
III you wished to retain the scat, sail.
the man calmly, you should have nut
somo baggage on 1t. There was nothing
here when L entered. havo tho place
and l intend to koep it."
"But, insisted, 1--WE couldn't leave
any baggage upon 1t because wo wore com
PEELED TO take it to tho custom house"
Again tho man shrugged his shoulders.
That has nothing to do with me-" he
said. Tho place was empty when took
it, and intend to keen IL -