The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-03

The Predioamsnt OF n Revenue Omcer at tho
End OF q Chase In tho Maine Woods.

W 80 t"D
From the Letciston Evening Journal.
The boundary line between the United States
| and Canada has been the scene of no end Of ex.
citing adventures. because the desire to cheat
our Uncle Samuel out of his lawful tariff dues
is something that seems to be deeply rooted in
the human breast. There are professional
smugglers. but the larger per cent, l imagine,
are those who. being on the Canadian side Of the
line and finding goods very cheap, cannot resist
the temptation to try to get them across.
Between Maine and the British possessions Is
an enormously long stretch of boundary line,
and patrolling It is entirely out of the question.
but still, with all their slips the customs officers
do occasionally get hold Of a clue and run 1t to
the ground sometimes with results that are
not SO pleasant. This was the case with the
what part Of UnoiIe Sans farm line it occurred
Canadian side at a secluded spot in the woods
where a man.. q horse, sled with an enormously
with valuable articles, make a break for the
American side of the line. In some way an
Cling. and with a still better horse he starts at
full speed after the mysterious trunk and the
upon the American side that the driver of the
horse sled discovered that he was pursued.
Far back on a distant hill he saw n team COM
ing at full speed, and knew Its meaning, He
got mp steam on his own craft Immediately.
marms" in a way to make ones hair rise. but
the driver knew very well that he could not es-
over the next hilltop and, out of. sight for a
moment. When over the brow OF. the hill he
s spaaeo cliKm pSlie on % 9op 'G 81 thu sse en 1Tnns up box On a an
the sled. and holding the trunk as high as he
SP'1t' Were Sysr sh f side, sank dr ea%p1e i INT" out o oig . fpHT
Back at the summit q the last hill appeared
the customs officer in hot pursuit, and now no
yiduai appeared sinGularly deaf and in a great
A half mile more and the onicer had drawn
his profane calls could no longer be made. The
driver Of the sled gazed backward over his
fSa he pniled AM" up .ns"' suddsrniy hat thS sF the S% ofI"es's;
foaming, horse nearly plunged head foremost
""Wha.wha-what dye want" drawled the
The reply OF. the officer is totally unsulted for
thing here said the driver Of the horse sled d
Then I should like to know what in hades
you were trying to get away from me for" said
""Git away from YEP" said the other; "w'y.
cSows afors dark, 50 hain't got no time ter be
of T rHsio' 4 xSm |udis st nss'9 "s;nd fi Ri Sa tsG a e%Gi dHF.
know well enough Just what you've got there"
.l. sT 81 be ! Ra prots s9s I I'M tHs" St here b sgt tb this mo 0ld
he protested the more certain became his pur-
suer that he had contraband goods concealed in
tiO ok bpA Wv WY SRNAANe " " lltl W III ~
iittls door at the end, the normal use OF the boz
being for the conveyance OF live pigs.
The two teams came to q standstil 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 could see nothing
but Stygian blackness.. He looked about for a
pole or stick with which to probe tho inky in
terror. Stone walls were beside the road, and
nothing else.
The Suppressor of Smuggling was a man of
action. There was nothing else to do. so he
would crawl in the box and explore the interior.
He did 30, when, quick as a fash. tho door flew
10. the button turned. and the horse In front OF
the old sled bIOke into a run that Threatened
demolition TO the whole outfit. Over the mn
even road went the team at the top Of its speed,
the sled swayinR f~earfully and jumping into
the air at every leap OF the horse. The man in
side was shaken about like peas in a bladder.
the man outside all the while plying the whip
and shouting. "WhoR!" Quit your running
away!""Hi, thar" stop" and Various othsr
remarks tending TO AoQuaint the unfortunAte
gentleman inside with the fact that the horse,
suddenly becoming startled, had run away.
The end came when the driver at last got his
horse under control, and a sorry looking object
crawled out 81 the little door,
Gosh mighty" said the driver Of the horse
sled, lit wuz tsy bad the boss should take ID
lntew his head 10 run away Jest wen you wuz
In thArl"
Hut the minion Of the law was too chagrined
for utterance, and he limped slowly hack a mile
10 where mis- team was standing. That night
the trunk was lifted from its bed ~ snow by
the light OF the moon and carried safely away,