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The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 44, September 9, 1897 - A Weekly Magazine for Boys and Girls by Various
page 21 of 40 (52%)
there are fresh accounts of the woes of the incoming travellers from
Europe.

The zeal of the Custom-House officers in performing their duty is only
equalled by the efforts of the passengers in avoiding theirs. Every
ship-load that arrives affords infinite sport for the unconcerned
onlooker.

Last week a French family, consisting of a mother and two sons, arrived.

When asked if they had any dutiable articles, they declared that they
had brought nothing with them that ought to pay duty. As they had twenty
pieces of baggage with them, the officials refused to believe that they
had nothing on which duty should be levied.

The two sons were very elegant and extremely polite French gentlemen.
They courteously handed their keys to the inspectors, and turned around
to converse with some equally elegant young ladies who had come to meet
their party.

Their pleasant conversation was roughly interrupted by the inspectors.

Only six of the twenty pieces of baggage were trunks; the rest proved to
be packing-cases.

"They've got to be opened," said the heated inspectors.

"Certainly. You have our permission to open them," said the polite young
Frenchmen.

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