The Delta independent., 1906-03-09
THE AMATEUR SIUGGLERS.
HOST TRAVELERS FEEL .JUSTI.
FED IN OUTWzTTZNG AND
BEATING GOVERNMENT.

Foreign Dealers Know the American
Mania tor Private Smuggling and
Sell Accordingly-Many Disappolnt.
ments In Resuits.
II the arrivals ON one Of the big
liners were drawn up in rows ON the
pier and searched, 1t ia doubtful II
five per cent of them would escape the
charge Of smuggling. The women are
said to break the law in greater num-
bers than the men. although the latter
cheat the Government Of larger
mounts. The majority Of women don't
understand the customs laws.
Said nervous little lady ON the
promenade of the Deutschland as the
tugs were pushing the big steamer into
the dock: I've got two china salt col
lars under my hat Do you suppose
-hey1l hear them click together? They
cost Cents apiece at the Palais Royale,
cut they're SO cute' why you dear
old goose" said a business-like person
near her, I guess you'd jump over
board II you had my trunks to wriGgie
through the examination. Just listea.
You know you're allowed to replenish
your wardrobe II you're gone . year.
When I decided to go over twelve
months ago, l Just took all the old
trunks in the house, had eleven in Ill.
and I filled most Of them up with the
stun you usually send to the Salvation
Army. Thought some Of them would
go to pieces on the trip. I got rid Of
more than half in London, and bought
beautiful English leather trunks to
take their places. And the things I've
brought back in my replenished ward
robe!" But the foreign names on %
many dresses?" gasped the nervous
one. "I've ripped them ont and sewed
in the names that were In my OLD
dresses"
She was even cleverer than the white
haired gentleman who confided to his
neighbor at table that he had brought
back some lace gowns worth at least
10000 francs ($6000) a piece that
were entered in q sworn invoice at
5000 francs each. But" said the
little maid at his elbow, won't the ap-
praisers know the real value?" The ven
cradle sinner stroked his white beard
complacently: why should they sus-
pect the invoices approved by the Am
are my very good friends at the con-
sulate." he purred.
Real Syrian Rugs.
Even the steerage has It's smugglers
There was commotion on the immi-
grant deck Of French liner one morn
ing. Several hundred Syrians were
westward bound. One of them had
stolen q roll Of bedding from another
The oficer to whom complaint was
made was not deeply interested.
Hadn't the immigrant . good berth in
the steerage? Why % much fracas for a
bundle Of dirty rags that should have
been slowed In the hold? Tho com.
plainant waxed desperate: "M0her Of
the Prophet. his bed-of dirty rags! 1t
was OF Syrian rugs. the best, = dozen
sent by . merchant of Damascus to his
brother merchant in New York" The
duty on Syrian rugs is heavy-but who
would think to hnd them in the dirty
bedding OF an immigrant!
A glove buyer for one Of the big AM
erican houses used to bring back on
each semi.annual trip, for his own pur-
poses. twelve dozen pairs Of gloves care
fully hidden in many pockets OF his
coat and overcoat. Almost every tourist
who can afford 1t buys . diamond ring
while abroad. A feather boa is al.
most the hrst purchase OF the American
woman arriving in London, and what
customs ofhcial can prove that she did
not carry It out Of her own country
with her.
How seldom do those first purchases
In London and Paris outlast the evan
escent charm Of novelty. Flimsily built
|of fragile material. they drop to pieces
before the owner has had time to weary
Of them. II they do last for any length
Of time, It is only to become a source
OF anger and disgust. The silk petit
coat bought at the Bon Marche, Paris.
for which you paid $S-what bargain
It was until one day you felt myster-
iou0 prickings at your ankles and
stopped to find that the half inch wide
steel ribbon which gave such chic
set to the bottom, had broken loose
from the dust RUNE and slashed the
silk to bits. and your stockings to tat
ters. To comfort you, every depart
ment store in New York and Chicago
IL showing you identically the same
skirt, without the steel stiffening. for
IS. Sometimes, remembering these
things, the high prices that assailed
you In London and Paris. you may won.
der how the French women OF moderate
means manage to dress so well.
Americans Charged Double.
The answer Is that Americans aA
abominably over-charged. A raw clerk
in the Louvre once told an American
customer that the house would make
her up pongee suit for $50 francs. He
was sharply contradicted by an older
employe who explained that the suit
would cost 800 francs. As the lady
moved awav without ordering the
gown. she heard the novice .remon'
strate. "You told me $50 ffancs~ =
"For Frenchwomen. yes" growled the
old hand, "but that was an American"
The biggest lace house In Vienna
land Vienna Is the cheapest place In
the world to buy lace) purposely puts
up the prices to allow . good margin
for bargaining. Experienced Amer
ican buyers for fashionable New York
| ka ~hA op1~~ 10 Oh fAp