WHO LAUGHED LAST?

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 17, 18 January 1913, Page 7

WHO LAUGHED LAST?

o Mr. John Raphael, the brilliant Paris correspondent to a number of English newspapers, tells a story of a honeymoon couple. They had spent part of their holiday in Brussels, and as lace is so mucli cheaper there than in France, the bride wanted to buy some to take home with her. But the husband said “No!” By the time they paid the duty for importing it into France, he : pointed out that they might just as well buy it in Paris. “But I could easily get it through the Customs,” the bride declared. But the husband said “No!” again. He was not going to get into trouble for smuggling on his honeymoon.

Between Brussels and the frontier the bride, apparently brooding over the lace, explained how she would have gone about the business. “I could have hidden any amount of lace under my dress,” she said. The husband had a bright idea. lie would show his wife that his words of wisdom were not to be despised. So, when they arrived at the frontier station, and the Customs officers were searching the luggage of the passengers, ho stepped out of the train and approached one of the officers. Pointing to his wife, who happened to be looking the other way, lie said; “I think that lady has some lace about her!”

The officer thanked him and made a sign to one of his subordinates. A minute later madame, protesting angrily, was taken off to be searched, while monsieur smoked a cigarette and, chuckled at the thought that the search (although, of course, he knew that she had no lace) would cure her of the wish to smuggle in the future. He ceased chuckling, however, when the Customs officer came up to him and said: “We are very much obliged to you. The lady had forty pounds’ worth of lace wrapped round her waist. But she says you will pay the, duty and the fine.”

Then the Customs people chuckled!