Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-04-01
THE NEW BROOM.

In the good old days of the French
war. when England was SO occupied
upon the seas that she had little time
10 guard her coasts minutely. the peo-
pie of Trewarne We're smugglers to a
man and throve exceedingly. There
were indeed riding officers stationed
hard by. but they were not numerous
enough TO interfere effectually-nor.
tis said. Were they notably eager to
have their hands strengthened
But this season of prosperity and un-
troubled quiet came 10 an end. Peace
10 England meant the very reverse To
Trewarne II was with the utmost dis
gust that its people saw their old friends
being replaced or So surrounded with
new colleagues altogether unused to
the ways of the district that they could
not remain harmless if they would. 1t
was soon beyond doubt that the rev.
enue men were really in earnest in their
endeavors To suppress the free trade.
Among the men of Trewarne the
whole blame in this matter was laid
upon the shoulders of John Coffin. a
new man. whose energy was such that
i'm mere self defense his comrades We're
compelled to emulate his detestable
activity.
He was little man. black bearded
and exceeding neat in his attire. He
spoke outlandishly. mincing his words
after the manner of people inhabiting
the regions which lie up the country.
And he interfered shamelessly with the
business of his neighbors.
For example. at the edge of the cliff.
some two miles to the west of Ire
warne. there was copper mine. Just
above the sea level tunnel had been
driven from the shaft To the face of the
cliff. The water pumped mp from the
bottom of the mine was not taken to
the surface. but simply raised to the
level of this ''adit" and so allowed to
gain the sea. And the recording angel
alone can tell how many keg of good
liquor. landed on the beach. has gone
into that adit. been carried to the shaft
and conveyed 10 the surface in the
great iron "kibble. bucket which
was used for hauling the ore TO
grass : Once the stuff had gained
the surface il was slowed away in the
engine house to he sent to its ulti-
mate destination at a convenient oppor-
tunity.
Now. one night very decent little
cargo had been nm A goodly number
Of kegs We're buried in the sand of the
beach. Some twoscore We're carried mp
into the adit and later on drawn to the
surface in the kibble. They had been
carefully disposed in the engine house.
and all seemed we'll when suddenly the
place was invaded by gang of revenue
men. The engineer did not lose his
presence Of mind He sprang to the
safety valve In moment the room
was filled with steam. and customs Off
GERS and miners We're tumbling one
over the other in wild confusion. But
presently John Coffin got to the safety
valve and stopped the escape of steam
The miners melted away like summer
clouds (bcing unarmci) and little
later saw the good liqunr going off in
casks To the stronghold of the revenue
men Mr. Coffin was n prond man. but
there were ominous murmurs as he re-
tired and his name suggested many a
grim pleasantly
This sort IF thing happened continu-
ally but as the smugGlers We're still Sc
cure f-o:.. .,:-- if they saved one cargo
in three-and as they had behind them
many Years of uninterrupted success
IL ma,ie 1u .sec.:. :a:aercnce Indeed the
men engaged in the traffic aaw the hu-
morous aspect in the triumphant n.6I
of John Icilin and for little while
Thought the spectacle well worth the
loss Of few kegs from time TO time
II was at this time that they construct
ed ''cavic. or store. in big field not