Mexico weekly ledger., 1882-03-16
1 CHANGE OF d
shesipe the Importance of Turning
on the Gas.

Onsunday evening, just as the sun
vas setting behind the rip-raps, and
making a golden pathway across the
limpid waters, the steamer Accomack,
plying the local wharves of the James
river and Old Point, set on shore fou,
persons, or, to speak to the card. two
couples, and just married, as anyone
could see with half an eye. Bushes,
the elinglnS h~elplessness, so to speak.
on the woman's part, and great nerv-
BUSINESS, added to a self-nrotectino
air, on the mans side, and an appear.
ance, badly acted, of indifference il
both, told the tale.
The genial Phebus ppears on the
scene. lie takes in the situation at g
glance, and he walks, or rather rolls.
up to the quartette.
walk up to my hotel, gentlemen
and ladies. My names Phpbus, and
I'm owner here. What might yours
be-"
One murmurs Jones, the Other
Smith, and then both suffering.
present Mrs. j. and S.
''Just married, l see," said the
genial proprietor. ssWalk right ur
and I'll give you the best rooms in
the house. L like bridal couples, !
do; reminds me of the time when me
and my old woman did the tender
racket and cleaned our teeth with the
same tooth brush"
After waiting in the reception room
half an hour the couples we're shown
their respective rooms, they being
marked on the register as 100 and
lol, and were side by side. After
supper they journeyed to the ball
room, and sat listening to the music
Then the brides got fidgety and dis
appeared to their rooms. One was a
short, sprightly brunette, all fire and
sparkle, and as plump as a partridge ;;
the other a tall Juno-limbed blonde.
with complexion of cream and rose,
sleepy sensuous-just such a type as
Ruben loved to paint. The grooms
were alike in stature; both had beard
less faces, with an adolescent mus
taehe, and it is needless to add that
they were from the country, and talk
ing their first dip into fashionable life.
After the departure of their wives
the two incipient fathers, all unknown
to each other, and too much engrossed
in their own blissful thoughts to no.
tee other people, passed an hour or
two in looking on the billiard players,
and varying the monotony by going
up to the bar every five minutes and
taking a drink.
Now, it happened that q gentleman,
| dare not mention his name, had
watched the whole proceedings with
an amused an observant eve. and
having looked at the register, a most
sinful and thOughtless idea came into
his head. Gazing around cautiously,
he saw that the clerks attention was
engaged elsewhere, so he slyly takes
the pen and changes the nought to
one and the II to nought. 1t is a
very simple thing to do, but very
wicked. So the ooms we're trans
posed.
By and by Mr.. Jones, getting tired
OF iounging around, went to the book
to see the number of his room it
read lO1, and he goes along the dimly
lighted passage, with the joker steal
ing behind him. Arriving at the door
he scanned the number to see if he
was right, and then walked boldly in.
for the door was unlocked. and the
skylight showed that the room was
wrapped in cimmeran darkness. Mr..
Jones now being comfortably installed
Ill Mrs. Smiths room it was not ten
minutes after that Mr.. Smith, the
husband of the plump brunette, hay
ing also looked at the register, came
1llmldly and expectingly stealing like
Il shadow down the half-lighted aisle,
counting for the magic number. Ar
at No. 100 he walked into the
chamber where the grand looking
lay and the door closed.
An hour at least passed, and our
Joker waited in vain for some sign.
AL MHS-siient and dark, and so he
in himself, but not to sleep.
imagination played strange freaks,
md tie earliest dawn found him still
wandering. Getting up he resumed
watch, and just as the lamps were
beginning to pale, Mr.. Jones, looking
like Tarquin, emerged from the room
md disappeared. Mr.. Smith, by a
'olnciience, followed suit.
At breakfast time both brides APP
pearcd and were joined by their liege
Ortls.
One thing was evident to the joker,
he brides had not found out the trick;
heir freedom from q burning embar-
'assment, barring a little maiden bash
illness, showed this but the grooms!
his vantage place, Mr.. Practical
!. saw the young Benedicts sitting by
themselves in the brown study. Ev-
'ry now and then they would laugh
until the tears would run
their cheeks, and they would
airly hug themselves in an ectasy of