Evening journal., 1900-02-20

hecause they travel marc he shook his
head and replied euggeztivaly: yes,
they ore experienced tTavsleIz"
American women, however. are not
alone addicted to this viea. A French
bridegroom went to Brussels from
Paris on his wedding tour. While Wis
ting the lace shops he jocularly re-
marked to his wife: Now is your
chance to show your skill In snug
Cling. Every woman who comes to
Brussels cheats the Government on her
return. He thought no moro OF the
matter until thoy reached the customs
station. when in a teasing manner he
said TO the douanier: Search we'll the
lady; she carries much lace To his
surprise she was taken 10 the woman's
department In few minutes he heard
her give shrek after shrek. and on
fastening to learn the cause discovered
that she had undertaken to smuggle
lace the value OF which aggregated
hundreds Of francs. The purchase had
been made without his knowledge from
her own private fund. The amusing
part OF the affair was that as they left
the station the officer, thlSing the hus-
band aside, slipped a roll Of bills into
his hand and informed him confidently
that half Of the imposed fine was due
him as informant This, to an Ameri-
can would have amounted to partial
reimbursement; not so in France,
where woman's pocketbook is con-
trolled by her husband.
Three years ago on the streets Of
Faris, In cafes, theatres and private
salons, placards were circulated that
awakened masculine curiosity. These
proved to be a petition from a long list
OF prominent women, headed by Nine.
Adam, urging all interested to join
them in an appeal to the Assembly that
women might be granted the privilege
OF controlling their own earnings.
French women are able money-makers,
bat unless the law has been recently
repealed husbands control the entire in
come and may prevent their wives from
spending one franc OF their own earn
ings.
An energetic Chicago girl married
In Paris--an impecunious Frenchman
OF good family With her dot she open
ed a lunch and tea room for Ameri-
cans, directing it so successfully that
a fortune semed assured. Her husband
declined to share the responsibility
and labor, but assumed control OF the
profits. spending so fast that at the
end of two years she was compelled
TO sell out. This case Is well known
to American residents. Il can hardly
be this type OF American woman that
NJ. Max O'Rell has In mind when he
makes his famous prayer for reincar-
nation.
a strange incident OF female snug
Cling which occurred Ia "a has become
a part Of French history. Following the
assassination Of President Carnot was
an archists plot, propagated in Italy.
20 murder his successor Paris jour
uals announced that three assassins had
started for that city "one by land, one
by sea, one by rail- A few days sub
sequent TO the announcement an Amer
lean or English woman-American
more likely-chanced to be resting on
the grass plot at ST. Cloud when her
attention was attracted by an aged
peasant woman, In short dress. dust
stained wooden shoes and snowy cap
She carried a small basket and seemed
much fatigned.
you arc very tired. mother" said
the foreigner.
Il am exhausted" replied the old
woman, sinking to the ground, but /
must get on. My daughter In the city
Is very III and nothing will do her
but fresh eggs every week from her
old home In the country. Alasi II is
unjust that ] should pay toll on eggs
FOR the dying." She was ahrewd, the
old lady and knew her listener, who
freely volunteered to pay octroi at the
gate; but the anxious mother would
not accept money. IF the kind lady
would but spread the skirt OF her dress
when they mounted to the imperiale
1.-THE top OF the train what harm in that.
and the douanier would not then sus-
pect"
The kind lady did. Kind ladies' often
think cheating q charity, and the ruse
was successful. The next mornings
papers contained an announcement that
the "one by the sea" had succeeded in
entering Paris disguised as an old
woman carrying basket OF eggs. He
was discovered throwing one at either
some part OF the executive mansion or
into the state carriage Those eggs
were laid by snarchism to hatch death
and riot, some OF them being made of
china and filed with nitroglycerin.
There are numerous historical In
stances OF efforts to avoid paying
octroi. At the beginning Of the empire
a noted French journalist fell under
the condemnation OF Napoleon. His
journal was suppressed and he was ex-
He'd from Paris. He located in a near
country-Switzerlan perhaps-and.
being OF an artistic tendency, began
the manufacture OF bronze statues.
Hundreds OF busts OF the emperor were
sent into Paris for sale. The great
number OF these finally excited suspicion,
and upon careful examination each was
i found to be but thin sheeting OF
bronze. closely packed with copies OF
the forbidden journal. This was so much
i like q breach OF the law fnrhiddinp