The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-07-23

bomb was contained within a huge
leather trunk, and he begged the cap
tain to have it heaved overheard be-
fore the mechanism ticking away the
life of the ship should have time to do
its work
The captain was a man of action,
and before the last words were out of
Bergen's mouth he was on deck, sum-
moning the watch to quarters
Unto the baggage room all of you"
he roared, "and jack every piece of
baggage on deckp'
The crew set to work. Trunk after
trunk was hauled out, while Bergen
stood beside the captain, shivering in
excess of emotion. Suddenly he caught
the officer by the arm.
"That's itp' he cried, pointing to an
enormous trunk.
"All right" replied the captain. "Now
then, men," pointing to the designated
piece of baggage, lover with 1t, and
in a hurry Heave it way out! If any
part of it hits this ship you're all dead
men! Over nowv'
secret service agents and a dozen Gus
tom house inspectors hurried up the
ladder from the revenue cutter. Moth
ing was said to Bergen until the dec
larations of the passengers were sign
ed, wherein It was stated that Bergen
aad no dutiable goods. Then the sus-
pected smuggler was surrounded by
half q dozen inspectors.
No man in the group was less agi-
tated than Bergen, smiling, putting
easily upon a black cigar and return
Ing look for look with level eyes. Why
had he not declared his baggage? That
was an easy question. He had no bag
gage But the officers knew better.
They even had a description of the
trunk, and thus armed the captain was
ordered to open the baggage compart-
ment. When the revenue men reclted
their reasons for this demand, with a
description of the trunk they expected
to find, a great white light dawned
upon the shippers mind, and the detec-
tives swore vainly as they realized
that though their quarry was run
down. all the evidence against him
was gone.
Once there lived in one of the foreign
quarters of New York a learned orni-
biologist. He knew more about birds
than most men know about anything
He stuffed and mounted them too. Not
infrequently his researches took him
abroad. In fact, he was a regular
voyager to Europe, spending the great
er part of his sojourn invariably in
France, whence he returned with many
quaint and curious birds, stuffed,
mounted, ready for exhibition. This
savant and his birds became so ia
miliar to the customs inspectors that
they finally examined his baggage and
his stock In the most perfunctory way.
Once when In Paris the ornithologlst
picked up a wonderful talking parrot
which he purchased at the owners
price and made pet Of. He was fond
Of talking. and the bird was speedily
taken into his confidence. Yet through
all the grim fact that Poll would be
worth more to him dead than alive
constantly obtruded itself, so much so
that several times day he said to the
parrot, Poll, pretty Poll, when you are
dead l shall stuff you full of nice
fat diamonds and take you to Amer
ica'
In good season the ornithologist, with
his collection of stuffed birds and his
parrot. set sail for New York on one
of the French liners leaving Havre. At
the pier several inspectors greeted him
as an old acquaintance, and one of
them fumbled carelessly among the
various trunks and boxes, until even
tually Poll, sitting placidly in her cage,
was brought to light
"Ah, a parrot" said the inspector.
Can she talk, professorY'
abr exclaimed the savant delight
eddy. Can she talk? Well, mayber'
He crooked forefinger at the bird,
which opened her bill-and talked:
'Pofl-Poll- Polly-pretty Poll, when
you are dead-when you are dead-are
dead-are dead, shall stuff you full
of-full off, stuff-stuff- you full
of diamonds"
The rest was easy for the inspectors.
Lawrence Perry in New York Trib-
une