The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-20

honest debts, and I might not have thought of 1t if ye had not mentioned 1t. I was thinkin' them was nawthin' but common ignorant fieas, professor"
 "Ah, no!' cried the professor. "The very educate leai The flea of wisdom, The very teached fiea!'
 Hear that now" said Flannery, ..and did they really come all tn way from France, professor Or is this joke ye are playin on me?"
 "The truly French flea" explained the | professor. From Paris herselfs. The genuine. The import flea" And to think ye brought them all the I way yerself, professorl For ye did. be- | lieve?"
 1 "Certaini" cried all three.
 An t think of a flea bein' worth q dollari" said F1annery. '4nm can't be crude f1eas as sich a price, professor" "Nor' Certain, noi' cried the three l men again.
 Not crude" said Flannery, land im- ported by tn professorl Iris odd I should have seen a reirince t them very things this very day, professor. Iris in this book here" He took the list of customs duties from his pocket and leaned his elbows on his knees and ran his hand down the pages.
 ''Ho, ho!" F1annery sung out at length, Here 1t isl Insects, not crude, one quarter cent per pound and tin per eint ad valorum.' What is ad valorum. dunno, but 'tis a wonderful thing tn tar fir Is. Who would be thinkin' tin years ago that Professor Jocolino would be comin' t Ameriky with 100 neas. not crude, in his dress suit portmanteau? But tn Congress was tn boy t think of everything. No free fieasr says they. Look at tn poor American flea, crude an uneducated. an see tn struggle it has. competin with tn flea of Europe. Asia an Africa Down with tn turin flea says Congress protect tn poor American insect. One quarter cent per pound an tin per cInt ad valorum for tn flea of Europer"
 Monsieur Jules adgeted and looked at his watch.
 Be easy" said Flannery, There's no hurry. I'm waitin' for frind of mine, an 'tis fine t talk over tn tariff with educated min once in a while Tn frind I'm lookn' for amy minute now is a fine expert on tn subject of tn tariff himself. OHaloran is. tn name of him. Him as is tn second deputy assistant col- lector of evidence of fraud an smugglin' in the revenue service of tn United States. Twas a mere matter of doubt in me mind" said Flannery easily, "regard- says O'Halloran, for unless tn professor fieas. I was thinkin' mebby one dollar was not enough t pay for a flea. not crude, so I asks OHalloran. Twill be easy t settle that says OHalloran, for tn value of thim will be set down in tn books of tn United States at th' time whln tn professor paid tn duty on thim. I'll Just look and see how much tn duty was paid on,' says he. But. mebby, tn professor paid no duty on thim," I says. Make no doubt of that says O'Halloran. for unless tn professor was a fool he would pay tn duty liks a man, for tn penalty is fine an imprs- onment.' says O'Halloran, an' mako no doubt he paid 1t. I will be out Sunday at A. says O'Halloran, an give ye tn facts, an hope tn duty is paid as 1t should be. for if 'tis not paid twill be me duty t arrest tn professor an'-',
 Flannery stopped and listened.
 "Is that tn traiu from tn city hear 7''s he said. "O'Halloran will sure be on it
 The professor arose and so did the two friends who had come with him to help him carry home the s100. The professor slapped himself on the pockets, looked in his hat and slapped himself on the pockets again.
 Mon Dieul'' he exclaimed and in an instant he and his friends were in an excited conversation that went at the rate of 300 words a minute Then the professor turned to Flannery.
 q return" he said. T have lost the most valued thing, the picture of the dear mamma. It is lost! It is picked of the pocket Villains! I go to the police. I return
 He did not wait for permission. but went, and that was the last Mike Flan- nery or Mrs. Muldoon ever saw of him. An t think of me free trader every day of me born life" said Mike Flannery that evening to Mrs. Muldoon, "but am no more. I see tn protection there is in tn tariff. Missus Muldoon. nam. But, annyhow. I wonder what Is Insects. not crude'?"