The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-19

TN the early sos. at one of the Mex
lean ports OF entry on the Rio
Grande, there lived a number OF
Americans largely Interested in
pushing forward American railroad
enterprises that were intended alti-
matey TO connect the capital OF the Mex
Jean republic with the cities of the United
States The Chicago Record states that
for the first time In its history. the Mey
lean custom house located there for the
purpose OF leyying and collecting a tariu
for revenue only. found itself with some
thing important 10 do. Not only was
the business created by railroad construc-
ton considerable. but all these Amer
leans Were purchasing on the American
side OF the river the commodities reaui-
site for their existence. and. unless evad.
ing the vigilance Of the custom house Of
ficials altogether. providing an occasional
opportunity 10 increase The receipts OF the
collector Of the port TO an extent out OF
all proportion to the original cost OF the
articles in question. Whether the amounts
thus paid into the custom house ever
reached the City of Mexico and served
10 defray any of the expenses Of running
the government was n question on which
the Americans held opinions which they
thought II discreet not TO express TOO
vociferously
The social conditions Of the American
colony developed to the point of including
married men with their wives and fam
flies. This necessltated the addition of
articles of domestic economy TO the list
OF importations. IL was under these cir
cumstances that enc OF the American
families decided 10 send for croquet set
AS in every case of the kind a prcce-
dent necessity was TO compute he cost.
and IL II came within the limit of
allowable fousehold expenses t'roauet
was even then on the wanc In America.
and the cost OF set In a mid-western
city was not likely to he great To the
original cost, when finally determined.
was added an approximate estimate OF
freight over i.2oo miles of railroad. The
result Of THIS addition was an amount
equal 10 the cost Of crouuct set In
the palmiest days OF that game. and II
was deemed wise 90 postpone fnai ac-
ton until some estimate could be made
OF the cost OF importation.
The collector OF the port at that time
may for convenience, and more partic-
uiarilv for the sake Of brevify. be called
III Senior Don Narcisso Nomhre de Dlos
Nnriega dc Pacheeo y Rlasquez. lie was
well advanced In years. When APP
preached on tho subject Of the probable
duties upon a crouuet set he promptly
declared his Ignorance. What was
crnauef eetP
"A game"
"Oh, no. II was very innocent
game Ladies and children play u. II
Is played with balls and malleia"
WAS II like baseball them
"No. the balls are NJ wood and are
knocked around on the ground"
But be did not know anything about
II and the best way would be 20 set the
set. bring Il 80 tho customs house and
iet the question be decided then. The
duties would probably not be much.
IL was not very baslness-iike 20 order
the croanet set on such indefinite infor-
nation. II must be admitted, but upon
the Inxlstence Of the younger members
of the family who had begun 90 suffer
| from ennul ia the stagnant life 81 the
frontier town an order Was sent nc
| commanded hy a remittance; and upon
| the arrival ot the box. frcight was duly
| Maid thereon Then the postponed neRor
! tiAtlans at the customs house were re-
/ sumed
Fl senior Don Sarcisso Nornbre De pios
/ Norirga de Facheco Blsaauez was eit-
ting out IN the patio ~ the old adobe
| custom house. completely eaFesnped IN
great coat Despite the dry warmth ~
sh4 midday nir his coat collar WAS turned
/ up ana q thick cloth cap WAS crushed
/ doun over his ears Under his Visor
| could be seen his sharp black eyes. his
I NHMrrer nnEN ana ms fthSNt1 t3ts@ R3vAt43
him was gathered the entire clerical
force 81 the custom house. ali deeply ia-
terested Ia an importation - unusual inn
I roYtanee-sarnethlag 20 be classified au1
appraised wfth great care ia order iaHt
no wrong pre-, eaent fse egiablinhka, THE
craquef iH3x Waa brauEhS 10 with mteh
T utstr. Is fhuarh % Were wit fnF fgg.
NAL presentation 60 Che pTsaideut - the
( repuhlic
let the hax be opened sald the coi-
hector. ard only these who knsw hits
( veil grisht have detected the CLEAN iE
I his eve hcsokentug his humorous sgBte-
( riatlgu ct ths r4pck aoiemntiy - the ec-
/ CASTOR
THE box waa opened ~ hia feet. and the
attarhes u che custom house. EaSs1 AZ
: ffagles- ssNH. ataheA ar4 wlckets cArrE-
lng an a shisuered conversation the while
az toe various thlnNn then nrsf brought
I 81 thesr affantien. Nos and Their they
& sa8geesaa a question 81 made n rnEEna-
4 tign "a the collector a. though - aid him
/ in determining precisely how n should be-
{ rfagwla-d and appraised. ~. for exam
+ Die. one suggested thai perhaps II was
I PLAYED like billiards. and in such case
I yqisht ii n'f cams under the same ciass-
elnratlan as billiard taaies2
.sfJrt hgx should I kn8w how Il is
{ psayedg'' answered the collector The
thing s. Ike a Chinese puzxAe 70 me
/ And then addressing the purchaser OF tbs
set. he said: 'Yo2 say this game Ia