The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-15
SoME ANTlSPANIsH C1OLD,!: D.
By ALFRED HENRY LEWIS
Author Of ''Wolfville. I"

the Secret Service My business was
to detect intended smuggling and cable
the story, to the end that Betelnut Jack
and Lorns and Quin and the oherS make
prompt, intelligent seizures when the
smugglers came into New York. The
better to gain such news. put myself
on closest terms, and still keep myself
a secret-with chief folk among houses
of export; went about with them, drank
with them, dined with them: and weedled
and lay In ambush for information of
big sales. I sent In many good story;
and many rich seizure came off through
my interference. Also: lived vastly
among legation underlings, and dis
patched what I found to the department
of State. There was no complaint that
I didn't earn my money from either my
Customs or my secret service paymaster.
In truth stood high in their esteem
At times, too, was baffled There
was g lady; the handsome wife Of dia-
mond dealer in Maiden Lane She came
twice year to Europe. Obviously and
In plain view-like the vulgarian which
she was not-this beautiful woman, as
she went aboard shipt In New York.
would wear at throat and ears and on
her hands full two hundred thousand
dollars worth Of stones apparently. And
there they were when she returned; and.
of course. never a dime OF duty. We
were morally sure this beautiful woman
was a beautiful smuggler; we were NOR
ally sure those stones were paste when
she sailed from New York: we were NOR
ally sure they were genuine of purest
water, when she returned; we We're NOR
ally sure the shift was made in Paris
and that a harvest of thousands was
garnered with every trip. But what
Va no w
could get none; we could only guess.
And there were other instances when
we slipped. More than once I tracked a
would-be smuggler to his ship and fairly
saw him out Of port. And yet, when
acting on my cables the smuggler COM
ing down the New York gang plank was
seized by my old comrades and searched,
nothing was found. This mystery. for
mystery it was, occurred a score OF
times. at last we learned the trick The
particular room occupied by the snug
gler was taken both ways for round
dozen trips ahead. There were seven
members of the smuggling combine
When one left the room, his voyage end
ded, and came ashore in New York an
other went duly aboard and took possess
sion for the return trip. The diamonds
had not gone ashore. They were hidden
in a sure place somewhere about the
room; he who took it to go to Europe
knew where. And in those several times
to follow when the outgoer was on and
off the boat before she cleared. he found
no Difficulty in carrying the gems ashore.
The Customs folk aren't watching de-
partures, their vigilance is for those who
arrive However, after full score of
defeats. we solved this last riddle, and
| managed a seizure which lost the rogues
what profits they had gathered on all the
| trips before.
Also, as I pryed about the smuggling
| industry. I came across more than one
| interesting bit of knowledge. I found
| French firm making rubies; not doublets.
| but actual rubies. It was a great secret
| in my time, though more Is known Of it
| now. The ruby was real; stood every
test save the one tesla hard one to en-
| force-of specific gravity. The made ruby
| was a shadow lighter. bulk for bulk,
| than the true ruby of the mines. This
| made ruby was called the scientific
| ruby and indeed it was scientific to
| degree of delusion that the best experts
| were for long deceived and rubies which
cost no more than two hundred dollars
to make were sold for ten thousand dol
lars.
AS curious discovery of my ramblings.
stumbled on the diamond. the only one
of its brood. It was small, no more than
three-quarters. of a carat. But of color
pure orange; and-by day or by night
blazing like a spark Of fire. That stone
if lost could be found: it is the one lone
member of its orange house. What was
its fate? Set in the open mouth of a
little lions head. one may now find it
on the finger of that prince Of the
Bourse. Lawson of Boston; he of the
Carnations. That ruler of State Street
paid for it five thousand dollars.
1t was while In Madrid during my Eu-
ropean hunting, the seeds were sown I
hat faJ hS n
quick willingness to let down the bars
for my filibusterer's escape. I was by
stress of duty held a month In Madrid.
And from first to last heard nothing
from the natives when they spoke of
America but malediction and vilest cpl
tibet. 1t kept me something warm.
promise: for ali I had once rode saber
in hand to smite that same American
Government hip and thigh. left Mad
rid when my work was done with never
a. moments delay; and carried away a
profound hate for Spain and all things
Spanish.
AS I was brought home by commands
from my superiors. sharp on the heels
of my Madrid work, these anti-Spanish
sentiments had by no means cooled when
I made the New York wharf, and to
speak truth. they continue TO shoulder
until twenty years after when in, forty
minutes our fleet at Saitiago burned the
Spanish from the sea. Decidedly II Id
been searched for a sentiment. I would
have been discovered hostile to Spanish
interest when, within three weeks fol-
lowing my return was given the HAIR
RET LANE. shown the suspect Ryan
and his ship. and told to have a sleepless
eye and seize him if he moved
It's the Morse instinct to hate Spain:
| and I was blood and lineage, decisively
Morse. That affair of instinct mighty
matter. 1t is curious to note how ones
partisanship will back-track ones racial
trail and pick up old race feuds and
friendship; hating where ones forhears
hated. loving where they loved Even
! as a child being then a devourer of his
| tory, I well recall how-while loathinS
| England as foe Of this country-r still
went with her in sympathy was she
| warning with France or Spain. l re-
| member. too. that in Enslands civil wars
| was ever for the Roundhead and
| against the King. This, you say. sounds
strangely for my theory, coming as I do
| 49,