To Pay for the Honeymoon

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 75

To Pay for the Honeymoon

There can be no doubt that many men dread the ordeal of the Custom House ; and this story is told of an elderly Belgian bridegroom. The man was about to start from Paris on his honeymoon tour, when he was calmly informed by his bride that 6he was taking with her several thousand francs' worth of fine Brussels lare, hoping by its sale to pay a/1 the cost of the journey and their general expenses. Now, the husband was by no means smitten with this frugal project. He pointed out inxiously that there were especially adroit Customs officers, ancl even women searchers, at the frontier, and these were often struck with embarrassing cat)rices In short, the husband made such a fuss about the project that hie bride, merely to_humonr him, promised to fc' vc ~ up the plan. All the same, she secreted the lace and confided in him no more.

| As the train approached the French frontier the husband reflected that if his wife | wore not searched she woukl surely mock at his fears as groundless, and he wcuVl thus . start on marrio'l life with impaired prestige. It was important, hp thouarht, to show someth'nff like infallibility from the very first. And so when they alighted at the frontier the cautious bridegroom left , his lady's arm for a moment, and, siding I up fo a cloimnier, whisppred imo-pssivelv :

"I think if _ you search that lady yonder you ma y flrvd some lace."

The officers cast a grateful glance at the informer, and a moment later the hanpy bride was accosted with a firm invitation to wa^k into the woman searcher's room. She turned pale, but was led away- A few minute* Inter dismal sounds of hrsterics came from, the .room* Poon thp douanSer reappeared, and remarked briskly :

"I< thank yon. sir. Tt's a very good capture, indepd. The larlv will bo taken to* prison "forthwith,- and half the fine will go [to youl'* " - j