Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-02-12
DAILY SHORT STORY
The Little Lace SmuggIer.
Loriginal.I

was advised by business acquaint-
ance to put several hundred dollars
which she had saved beyond her pas
sage money into the beautiful lace
made in her city and carry it with her
to New York. If she could get 1t
through the custom house free of duty,
she would add considerably to her lit
tie capital. She was Informed that
nothing one wears is dutiable There
fore after purchasing some white and
black lace she set about decorating her
clothing with it in such fashion that 1t
would not likely be noticed by the Gus
tom house officials. With the black lace
she trimmed her mantle, putting on, of
| course, a profusion, while the white
was made into flounces ON her dress be-
meath.
Gretchen crossed the ocean in the
sweet summer time, when it was de-
lightful to sit ON deck and watch the
green waves, the gulls and the blue
heavens far ashore by day and the star
~ dome by night. Besides, the moon
was at the full and, beginning with the
twilight, rose later every evening.
Gretchen was alone, but young man,
an invalid, on the first day out sat in
his steamer chair near her and formed
her acquaintance. Though the weather
was warm, he was invariably wrapped
I'm an ulster. He told Gretchen that he
had dropsy.
Gretchen lonely herself, understood
more perfectly the feelings of this
young man, who was not only unat-
| tended, but i'll. She therefore devoted
herself to him. Every morning at 10
o'clock when the weather was fine-and
it was fine throughout the voyage-she
would place the young mans chair for
him in q sheltered nook, cover him
with rugs. talk to him, read to him and
in every way in her power contribute
to his comfort. The invalid seemed pro-
| foundly grateful for these attentions.
When she put pillow under his head,
he would look into her eyes what was
more than gratitude. He regretted that
he could make no return for her atten-
ton except help to improve her Eng
| lish, which was very imperfect. 1t is
| but natural that with the language of
| love passing between, for Gretchen
was becoming attached to her charge,
they should get on rapidly with mere
commonplace expressions. The young
man had had a good education in the
public schools and seemed quite ambi-
! tious to succeed in life. This made
| Gretchen's heart bleed for him. She
would wrap his ulster more closely
about him, and he would look up with
| that grateful, languid smile so touch
( Ing in an invalid.
| When they approached New York,
| Gretchen began to be worried about
her lace. She craved sympathy and
confided her secret to her friend. He
treasured her by telling her that if she
would go ashore with him he would
| look out for some of the officials whom
he knew and each try to distract their
attention from her or, if they noticed
her superfiuous finery, persuade them
to let her go unmolested. She gladly
accepted his offer and when the ship
was locked supported him, still wrap
ped in his ulster. down the gangplank.
"Wait here a moment" he said, and
1 will see if l can find friend among
these customs officers"
The invalid approached an inspector
and said to him:
what is there in it for me if 1 put
| you on to a woman who is smuggling
lace?"
The officer arranged that he should
receive the value of such information,
and the two approached Gretchen.
There she is" said the invalid, and
the officer forthwith turned poor Gret-
chen over to a woman who searched
her thoroughly and cOnfscated every
yard of her precious lace. This was
nothing to Gretchen compared with the
shock the mans treachery caused her.
She left the dock weeping. But it was
not for her little savings. 1t was for
the image she had set up in her heart,
which had been so roughly broken.
The next day Gretchen received a
card at her boarding house with the
name upon it of Charles Turner Whit
man." She had never heard of such a
person and thought there must be some
mistake. However, she went down
into the parlor, and who. should be
there but the invalid, but an invalid no
longer. His chalky complexion had
become ruddy, his step was quick and
strong, his whole appearance CHEEKY.
AS soon as Gretchen saw him she turn
ed to leave the room, but he caught
her and brought her back.
''Wait, little sweetheart, till explain.
When we went ashore yesterday had
on me small fortune in lace. My legs,
body and arms were wrapped with it.
If succeeded in getting it in without
confiscation, it would be the last of
several such efforts and complete the
amount 1 determined to make before
disseminating a practice which cor
daily detest. No surer way of passing
the officials unsupported could be de-
vised than directing their attention to
some one else. Your few yards were
nothing to the hundreds had on me.
You were kind to me on the trip, and
you have been the means of my COM
pleting my work undiscovered. Share
my snug fortune with me. Be my wife,
| On