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As a child she lived with her parents, Thomas
and Betsey Le Sauteur in a cottage at La Grande Charrière, la
Grève d'Azette, and on occasions she assisted them to hang lighted
lanterns on old tree stumps which were embedded in the beach in order
to lure ships on to the rocks in St Clement's Bay. She also told a
story with some zest about her brothers (I think) who allowed
themselves to be caught by a Preventative Officer (Customs) with a
large cask of Brandy (sic). The officer made a small hole in the
cask, then he inserted two straws and sucked hard in order to taste
the contents --- but the lads had filled that particular cask with
liquid manure. She referred several time to a family smuggling
expedition which resulted in an affray during which a Preventative
Officier was killed and later charges were laid against those
concerned. Her indignation, that the death of an "animal",
a "cochon" such as a Preventative man, could in any way be
regarded as a crime, is something I shall always remember. She was a
very tall and upright person and Thomas John, her husband, was a
very short man. Her daughters would tease her by saying that Thomas
always stood on sixpenny-worth of coppers in order to kiss her. This
would enrage her even at the age of over 80 years.
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