The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1906-12-14

He was very popular In a wide circle
of acquaintance. for added to his
Hmiable personal qualities. he had
plenty Of money and was gluriously
hospitabe. At the same time he pos
sessed parsimonious pcculiarities that
made him the subject OF innumerable
good stories. adding considerably to
the amusement NJ all who knew him
Still he was. indeed. the last man In
the world We would have expected 10
be bowlcd out In an act not quite
consistent with seyorest rectitude So
when Dickson came hurricdly into our
hotel at B0ulognc and told us that
Tommy was proposing TO do little
smuggling. We were an disposed to
be incrcduluus
We had picked up Traddles on our
way home from an autumn holiday In
Normandy II Was the morning OF
the day on which We had arrived to
take the boat across from Boulogne
that Dickson told us how he had
CHANGED to spy the solemn. immacu.
late Tommy in the very act OF making
up a brown.paper parcel Of dried bot.
anical specimens. In the middle OF
which he was cunningly concealing
some bundles Of pctits Bouquets. evi.
IDENTITY In the hope Of smuggling them.
We felt we had got Tommy on
toast this time. and We owed him
long score for practical wltticisms
played upon us. Now we could pay
him In his own coin. although we
couldn't agree as to the best method
Of doing H. What we wanted was TO
expose Tommy's little enterprise with.
out doing him any real harm, and
that was Just what we couldn't quite
see our way to do.
livingstone took no part In the dis.
cussion until We seemed TO have
reached the end NJ our inventive re.
sources: then he quietly announced
that he had a capital plan, and II We
would follow his directions, Tommy
should have startling show.up. With
the promptltudc Of a master mind In
command OF dolts livingstone first
held whispering aside with the sim
ple.hoartcd Dickson. and then sent
him away ON some crrand. and with
many an irrcprcsslble chuckle. he
proceeded to initiate the others into
the parts each would play In his
plot.
According to instructions. we began
by displaying an inquisitiyo interest
In Traddlcs parcel rs soon as We got
ON board the boat, We offered to lend
him small portnianteau to which he
might transfer his botanical speci.
mems. II would be more convenient
and would look better.
As our voyage progressed. we
agreed that Traddlos was not happy.
Apparently, the parcel weighos on
his mind. and quite unscrupulously we
took every means Of increasing his
uncasincss We enlarged on the
folly Of smuggling and told tales Of
ignominious exposure and heavy
fines
"FIncs," echoed one Of our party.
They don't fine nowadays Since
the last act the penalty for Snug.
gling Is Imprisonment, without the
option Of fine
Poor Tommy's face was study,
His jaw dropped dIsmally, ana he
looked altogether moody and miser.
able
As We drew nea the end of the
voyage Traddlcs looked as II he
would give worlds for the opportunity
to drop the wretchod parcel over.
board, II only he could get out Of
our sight for a moment We took
good care. however, that there should
be no backing out Of the enterprise,
and as Tommy marched down the
gangway. he looked, or We fanclod he
did little white about the mouth,
but he held his yirtuous head 30 up.
right, and handled the parcel with
such an air Of innocent concern. that
he might have passed through hut for
the astounding action OF Dickson
who hurried forward and tipped a
wink TO the man in buttons as he
passed
Anything TO doclare?" was the
phlegmatic official inquiry, as Tommy
passed
Nothing dutlable.' declared the
audaclous Tommy, with an air OF
dignity that should have carried con.
viction, only botanical specimens
and-and-one or two other things
Not dutiable. assure you"
Tommy tried very hard to maintain
an aspect of outraged dignity as the
officer resolutek began TO unite the
parcel but he couldn't help betray.
ing the greatest agitation lie stood
the very picture of a detected Grim.
inal. He protested, then he clustered
and coaTed.
II was. OF course, useless, and the
official was deaf to entrcaty with
heartless dellberation he first opened
an outside paper, then an inner pa
per, and then began 10 rummage
among the botanical specimens. In
the center Of which he found-a small,
crusty loaf OF bread
II was, of course, the very famll,
lar Joke that Dickson had perpetrated
under Kingstone's direction lie had
contrived TO take out the cigars and
slip In the loaf and then had sci the
customs oficial on the attending
smuggler