Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1915-01-07
How a Dowry
Was Procured
By MARGARET c. DEVEREAUx

Between Switzerland and France
there is chain of mountains running
In a northeasterly direction to Basel.
Within the Swiss border there lived
a matchmaker named Cremieux. His
daughter. Clochette. was a very pref
ty girl, seventeen years old. with black
hair and eyes and an olive complexion,
through which on each cheek shone a
roseate color like that on ripe peach.
AlphOnse Boyer, young woodcutter,
met Clochette at dance and there
upon came one of those quick love af-
fairs that spring up like mushrooms
between young persons of opposite sex.
For awhile Clochette concealed the
affair from her father, for woodcutting
has never been a profitable occupation.
and Aiphonse was poor as church
mouse. She did not think, therefore.
that her father would permit her to
marry her lover. especially since there
was no dowry for her. But those who
love and are kept apart soon are worn
out, and at last Clochette told her ia
Their her secret, adding that if she
could not marry Alphonse she did not
care to live Cremieux, fearing that
his daughter would destroy herself.
after much thought said to her:
81 will consent to your marrying AL
phonse on condition that you or he
can make enough money for your dow
ry You will need 1000 francs with
which to begin housekeeping and have
a nest egg. | will help you. | know
a manufacturer in Geneva who will
furnish me on credit with watch
springs. There is heavy duty on
them when transported to another
country. We are near the border of
France. If you or Alphonse can SNUG
gle enough watch springs into that
country to produce profit of 1000
francs l will consent to the marriage.
The duty is 40 per cent. Therefore to
produce 1000 francs you must get TO-,
600 francs worth Of watch springs into
France free of duty. But if you are
caught smuggling the goods will be
confscated. Therefore you must not
risk doing all at one time. Risk only
1000 francs worth at each attempt"
Clochette conveyed this information
to her lover, and they agreed to accept
the conditions, making alternate trips
with each other across the mountains
into France. The, customs officers
we're alert, and ingenious devices were
needed to deceive them. Clochette
agreed to make the first trip, and Al
phonse made for her pair Of wooden
shoes in such fashion that when the
outside and inside, which were sep
arate, were placed together the whole
would look like one shoe. But between
them he left space, which would con-
tain the watch springs Using this
device. Clochette passed the customs
officers successfully, and the first in
stallment of the dowry was Won
Alphonse next started with an equal
number of springs. Since it was the
hunting season, he took his gun and
game bag and, going up into the noun
tains, began to shoot squirrels and 9th
er game. A customs officer. hearing
the reports, approached and. seeing a
huntsman. made the necessary exami
nation. then let him go where he liked
Alphonse's gun had two barrels, and
one was full of watch springs
Clochette's turn coming next, she
carried her consignment through in a
bandbox with a false bottom. An Off
Ger took everything out Of the box. but
did not discover the trick.
This left one more trip for each. AL
phonse'S turn coming next. He as
cended the mountains with an ak on
his shoulder and on reaching the sum
NIT began to chop. A customs officer
joined him. and unluckily he was the
same man who had seen him us Il
huntsman. This made him suspicious
81 thought you huntedY' he said to
Alphonse.
"Oh, that was only for days sport
| am a woodchopper. | am to cut
twenty cords of wood and must do it
at once"
Nevertheless l must search you"
said the other
He made careful investigation. but
found nothing on Alphonse that was
dutiable Having satisfied himself, he
went away, and the woodchopper soon
slipped down the mountain side to the
westward. His ak handle was hollow
and full of watch springs.
There was now but one more trip to
be made by Clochette, but. having
made two and met different customs
officer each time, she feared that she
might meet one of the two. in which
case his suspicious would be excited.
When she went up the mountain
with her watch springs she carried
large bouquet of flowers. She did not
attempt to go through by any uafre-
quented route, but by paved road.
When she came to the summit there
stood a man who was expected 70 look
out for smugglers. AS soon as Clio
Ghetto saw him she WINGED. He was
the man she had passed with the band
box
You come this way very often" ne
said, eying her suspiciously.
"Only once before"
hofnro Tho frcf time / saw