Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-06-25
A Romance of Real Life.

A Romance of Real Life.
In New York, in 1896, my store was
in Maiden Lane, within three doors Of
the store Of John Mowatt, an extensive
dealer in shoes. His foreman was John
Peluse, who sat behind the counter
stitching shoes and waiting on customers
as they stepped in. One day a corpse
was found in the dock, at the foot of the
street. The coroner took the jurymen
from the neighborhood, among them
John Mowatt and his foreman John Pc
luse The corpse lay on the table in the
centre of the room. Some of the
jurymen remarked that as soon as
John Peluse looked on the corpse, he
started, turned and looked as if going to
faint. He rallied, however, but his sub
sequent movements occasioned some GU
rious remarks. The jury having render
ed a verdict of death by drowning, were
discharged. Mowatt turned around to
look for his foreman, but behold he was
not there We stepped out of doors and
and saw him high up the street, on a
half run, when he quickly turned cor
ner. All sorts Of inquiries were made,
but nothing could be found of him.
This, with his turning pale at the first
view of the corpse, occasioned some
strange surprise among the jurors, for
many days afterwards.
John Mowatt was bachelor of thirty
five, and Peluse had seen about thirty
summers.
On certain day, about one month
thereafter, a lady in deep mourning
stepped into Mowatt's store and asked
for pair of shoes. While John was
trying how the shoe fitted, the lady in
quired =" You had man in your store
John Peluse by name-what has be-
come of him ?"
&" Yes" said Mowatt, but what has
become of him, would give a good
deal to learn" He then related the sto-
ry as above stated
"Strange," replied the lady. "And
you have not seen him since ?"
"No," replied Mowatt, I have not
seen him since"
:" Yes, you have seen him" replied the
lady.
81 certainly" said Mowatt, would
not contradicta lady ofyour appearance,
but | have not seen him, to my knowl-
edge"
Well, then" said she, 81 am John
Peluse and that subject on whom we
held the inquest, was the corpse Of my
husband. My family name is Randall,
| was born in Philadelphia. l married
(against the wishes of my parents) John
Conner, a sober, industrious man, by
trade a shoemaker. He took to drink
ing, neglected his business, and once
struck me while in liquor. We had no
family, so | resolved, while we were
stitching shoes together, to learn his
trade and leave him. | soon made a
passable shoe, when | assumed male at
tire, came to New York, and you gave
me work as journeyman The rest
you know"
John told the present narrator, some
days after, that on hearing this he was
dumb founded.
Well, madam" said John, what
are your plans for the future?"
Says she, 81 have not yet formed
my plans"
Well" said John, =" l liked you as a
journeyman, and when my foreman, l
was pleased; suppose we now so into
partnership for life p
In forty-eight hours thereafter, they
we're married. She was fine looking,
woman and might have passed for
twenty-five.
This perhaps is the first instance on
record, of woman,s sitting as Coro-
ner's juryman on the corpse of her hus-
band
The above is a simple tale Of truth.