Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-06-18
rRICKED AN OFFICER
HOW A YANKEE ouTWrrrEp a SUP.
PRESsoR OF SMUGGLING.

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cd . Gel xssvs Dia H. Trsss-Aa-
skher Rrssf TAas H. 1ass Il Mse A.
wsys - the SWIM.
The boundary line betweent Q United
States and Canada has been the scene Of
NO end OF exciting adventures, because
the desire to cheat our Uncle samuel
out Of his lawful tariff dues is some
thing that seems to be deeply rooted in
the human breast. There are professional
smugglers. but the larger per cent, I
imagine. are these who. being ON the
Canadian side of the line and finding
goods very cheap, cannot resist the temp
tation to try to get them across.
Between Maine and the British pos
sessions is an enormously long stretch of
boundary line. and patrolling it il en-
tirely out Of the question, but still, with
all their slips the customs officers do &C.
casionally get hold of clew and run it
to the gruund-somctimes with results
that are not SO pleasant. This was the
case with the officer whose story am
about to tell. At just what part Of Un.
Gle Sans farm line it occurred need not
be told. The story starts upon the Ca
madam side at a secluded spot In the
woods. where q man, n horse sled with
an enormously big box upon il, q good
horse and trunk filed with valuable
articles make break for the American
side of the line In some way an officer
has got wind of the attempted snug
Cling, and with still better horse he
starts at full speed after the mysterious
trunk and the driver of the horse sled.
1t was not until some distance across
the line upon the American side that the
driver of tho horse sled d covered that
he was pursued.
Far back on distant hill he saw a
team coming ct full speed, and knew
its meaning He got up steam ON his
own craft Immediately, and the old sled
slid into and ont Of ''thank ye nnarms''
in a way to make ones hair rise, but
the driver knew very well that he could
not escape being overtalxen. He only do
sired to get over the next hilltop and
out of sight for moment When over
the brow Ct the hill, he suddenly pulled
up. took the trunk up in his arms,
climbed ON top Of the enormous box on
the sled, and holding the trunk rs high
as he could over the side dropped it in
to q big snowdrift, where it sank COM
pletely out OF sight. Then the race be-
gan again.
Back ut the summit of the last hill
appeared the customs officer in hot pur-
suit, and now he yelled to the man
ahead to step, but that individual ap-
peared singularly deaf and in a great
hurry as well. BE kept his horse at top
speed, and looked neither to tho right
nor left.
half mile more and the officer had
drawn up close behind, when pretense
Of not hearing his profane calls could
no longer he made. The driver of the
sled gazed backward over his shoulder,
and then, in apparently great surprise.
he pulled up-so suddenly that the off,
GERS foaming horse nearly plunged
head foremost into the big box.
"Wha-wha-whn Eye WANT" drawled
the man ahead.
The reply of the officer is totally un.
suited for publication. II sw ar to ye,
l hain't got a thing here" said the
driver of the horse sled
Then l should like to know what in
hades you We're trying to get away from
me for, said the officer.
Cit away from ye:" said the other.
"W'y. gosh mighty! got ter git home
m milk eight caows afore dark, SO
hain't got no time ter be a-loafin on the
road
well, you just haul up, " replied the
collector of Uncle Sans duties, land
I'll have look. / know well enough
just what you've got there
Tell we I hahn got a thing here but
this old sled n box" protested the 9TH
er; but the more he protested the more
certain became his pursuer that he had
contraband goods concealed i'm the big
box. the only opening TO which was a
little door ut the end, the normal use Of
the box being for the conveyance Of live
pigs.
The two teams came to q standstill.
and the officer got out and investigated
the turnout ahead. He opened the little
door in the rear and looked in. With his
eyes blinded by the glare Of the bright
snow, he coCld see nothing but Stygiar
blackness. He looked about for a polc or
stick with which to probe the inky in
terror Stone walls were beside the road
and nothing else.
The suppressor Of smuggling wac q
man of action. There was nothing else
to do, SO he would crawl in the box and
explore the interior. He did 50, when,
quick as fash, the door flew to, the
button turned, and the horse in front Of
the old sled broke intoa run that threat
ened demolition to the whole outfit.
Over the uneven road went the team ut
the top Of its speed, tho sled swaying
I fearfully and jumping into the air at CIV.
| cry leap of the horse. The man inside
was shaken about like peas i'm q bladder,
the man outside all the while plying tho
whip and shouting: "Whoa!'' Quit
your running awayr' Hi, tharr'
Stop. md various other remarks tend
ing to acquaint the unfortunate gentle
man inside with the fact that the horse,
Suddenly becoming startled. had RIM