St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-10-03
THAT STOUT .sGERMAN.
NJ =. BAYroRD HARRISON.

In the city of Brussels great deal of
very pretty lace is exposed for sale.
English women admire this lace and buy
It. II they go straight from Belgium to
England they can take 1t 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 Eng
lish 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.
niddle-aged ladies, fond Of travel. fond
of dress. fond of lace, and very bad
Dgflors. They had been excursioning in
Germany, had come down the Rhine.
and had spent week in Brussels. More
attractive than the Field of Waterloo,
and more fascinating than the Musee
Wiertz. was the Galerie st. Hubert
Miss Melissa Wylie could not resist the
white Brussels lace; Miss Annora Wylie
could not resist the black. Each OF the
ladies bought lace; led on by the tempt
er, in the shape of seductive shop
woman, the Misses Wylie bought lace
fichus, lace collarettes, lace by the
meter. Day by day they added to their
stock.
Atlength it was necessary to make for
England, and to pass through that
dreadful France with its protective due
ties. Then they realized their position;
how about the lace?
Eve cannot conscientiously say, re-
marked Miss Melissa, that we have
rien q declarer, because this lace is duti-
alle."
"And we dare not risk packing i" !"
returned Miss Annora, because they
might take it into IT, heads to ex-
anime our boxes"
'How can we get it through" unused
the elder sister,.
1--WE must ges1t through" declared
the younger sister.
Presently Annora exclaimed: II have
Il! We will wear il! Noduty is paid on
what one is wearing" 81
"Yes, yes" said Melissa, "but how
can We wear it? The white will get
eoiled and the black torn in travelling.
Besides, il il looks unnatural. as 1t
would on our dresses and mantles, the
officials will be sure to notice it"
1T 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, fischu and hounce, in
the most skilful manner, and though
the bopnets looked somewhat OverdOne,
set 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 dutiables In
the cqmpartment with them was only
one other passenger, . stout man OF
cood-humoret: aspect; evidently, from
his extreme fiabby stoutness and his ex-
treme good hrmpr. \ middIe-class Ger.
man.. Now, Germans who understand
English are very sociable with their
English fellow travellers. As this Ger
man did not address the Misses Wylie
they felt sur.T Chat he did not unde.
rstand English, and they talked freely
to each other.
IL suppose" said Melissa. that my
bonnet looks all righte 1t does moi
strike the, eyes AZ being too nucl
trimmed. eh. Annora ?"
SWELL" said Annora. laughing. 'it 4
too much trimmed for good taste. bu,
then on this occasion you have bat
taste. What about mine?"
'Oh. quite artistic: a study in blacl
and white rs the artists say"
The ladies laughed together, full o.
clee at their coming triumph over th'
custom house .cfkcers. The German
wore the fatu6hs grin affected by peo
ple who listen to language which they
do not understand.
At last the train slowed iUo Blan
dain station. the frontier! Out, ,5umpet
the Misses Wyjie with their hand bag
gage. They calmly waited the approach
OF the officers. Out numbered the Ger