CUSTOM-HOUSES

269

sent  as  a  present,  the  nature  of  the  ingredients
of  each  separate  piece  of  candy  was  not  indicated, ­
  and  a  fine  of  $80.00  imposed  and  obtained. ­

The  bar  of  a  famous  ex-prize-fighter  has
been  for  years  in  a  Latin  American  custom
house  because  the  importer  never  could  raise
the  money  to  pay  the  arbitrary  fine  exacted.
Brass  pays  a  high  duty  according  to  the
schedule  of  the  country  to  which  this  bar  was
shipped,  because  cartridges  can  be  made  from
it,  although  there  is  not  an  ammunition  factory
in  the  entire  land.  In  the  decorations  of  the
wooden  pillars  at  the  end  of  the  bar,  there
were  one  or  two  strips  of  brass  about  two
inches  wide.  The  whole  bar  was  assessed  as
of  this  metal  and  a  duty  and  fine  amounting  to
several  thousand  dollars  imposed,  which
caused  the  American  who  bought  it  and  who
had  intended  to  open  a  cafe  in  one  of  its  cities,
to  get  out  of  the  place  on  the  first  ship,  leaving
the  bar  as  a  souvenir.
An  iron  bed,  with  four  hollow  brass  balls  as
ornaments  on  the  end  posts  met  with  the  same