The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-12-07

But it looked very like it; there,
hanging daintily upon nail directly
before his eyes were the beautiful nut
brown ringlets which had subjugated
him two months ago. He had gazed
upon them too often and too long TO be
mistaken. They were Angelina's
curls, and--and- ..
Before he could proceed further
with his cogitations there smote upon
his ear such an applling shrek that it
nearly froze the blood in his veins.
"Merciful powers |" gasped the un-
happy Scuttle, "that was Angelina.
What can have happened ?'-casting
his eyes wildly around the machine for
his garments, in which to quickly
clothe himself.
Mr.. Scuttle was almost paralyzed
with horror to discover that the only
garments the machine contained were
decidedly of the female persuasion.
This fact, taken into conjunction
with the curls, proclaimed the awful
truth at once, and Mr.. Scuttle fell
backward, limp with horror, as it rush.
ed across his agonized brain.
Again the fearful shrieks of Angeli-
ma struck upon his ear, and mingiing
with the shrieks were the sounds of ex-
cited female voices, and the splashing
of horses feet in the water.
"What an apalling situation !" pant
ed the horror stricken Scuttle. 81
must have got into the wrong machine,
and yet-and yet I'm sure six was the
number. What is to be done p
Suddenly he spied bottle contain.
ing dark liquid standing upon a
small shelf. "Brandy, perhaps"
thought the unhappy man, "what
providence!' and seizing it with the
avidity of despair, without further in
vestigation he swallowed portion of
its contents.
"What have l done p he shrieked,
as he heaved with unspeakable nausea.
81 must be poisoned r.
With feverish anguish he gazed
upon the label of the bottle. 1t was
hair dye!
ooh, Angelini, Angelina!' moaned
the miserable man 'to think that you
should be so utterly false-curls, and
even the color of the hair, all false
all false !"
AT this moment there was a loud
knock at the door of the machine that
almost galvanized him.
81 say" said rough, coarse voice,
"you'd better just come out O this ere
machine; you've made slight mis-
take, amt yer"
'Im afraid l have" groaned poor
Scuttle, in great anguish of mind-"a
most unhappy, most lamentable mis-
take, and yet am quite positive that
the number of my machine was six"
Sand this 'ere's sixteen, only the
ones rubbed out" answered the boy.
"But, say governor, you haint got
no business here at all. Gents lathe
the other side of the pier, and this ere
part is for ladies only"
"Oh!" groaned Mr.. Scuttle, "What
is to be done?" be questioned, in an
agitated manner, for the machine was
being moved now vigorously toward
the shore.
"What is to be done? echoed the
boy with boisterous laugh that made
Mr.. Scuttle's blood boil. "Why
you've got to clear out, governor, as
sharp as You can, for the lady's
a-bustin' herself with the high strikes
over there in the other machine, sc
the sooner yer swaps the better
"Clear out!' roared Scuttle, rouset
to frenzy. ''How can | come out?
The boy roared with laughter. GAL
right, governor" he said; "don't hur
yourself; we'll manage it if you'll keel
yourself quiet but if you goes OF
bouncing about in that awful wa,
you'll bust out the bottom of the ma
chine, to say nothing of getting spon
taneous combustion on the brain your
self"
Mr.. Scuttle saw the wisdom of hi
remarks, and stayed his convulsiv
, movements.
"My coed fellow" he gasped in
faint voice, 81 have no wish to often,
!, you, but l really am in the most la
mentable plight that is possible for tn
human brain to imagine l am para
lyzed with horror at what has occur
! red and to make matters worse, | an
suffering agonies of sickness const
, quent upon my inadvertently swallow
ing some hair dye.
"Oh, lor oh, Jemima !" shrieke
the boy, relapsing into another con
, vulsion of merriment.
"You must be very unfeeling-
may say brutal young man." waile'
Mr., Scuttle, "to act in that rude an
cruel manner"
, At this moment the machine wa
! pulled up upon the beach
!; "Now, them" said the boy, az
l, just bring you few togs, and the
you'll have to clear out sharp. l can
, think how yer came to be bathin
, there at all
"a little boy took me out" faintl
e answered Mr.. Scutte.
9 "Oh, that must have been Billy,
said the boy she'll get waloping
. de doesn't mind.'
! "And gave him sixpence," waile
( Mr.. Scuttle.
+ Another minute or two passe
e away in shivering anguish and the
: there was knock at the door, whiC
Mr.. Scuttle cautiously opened a lit
e way, and put out his hand to receive
Il bundle which was handed to him.
d The bundle contained articles
clothing, evidently belonging to a vel
It tall, thin man.
l. "Fate must be against me !" mu
e INJURED Mr. Scuttle, as he surveyed IL
d garments, and then glanced at his os
g proportions.
Is But there was no help for it and
e quickly as his trembling hands won
allow him, he donned the clothes pr
T. vided for him, suffering, however, a
e ditional anguish of mind from the ia
n that the inexpressibles were abo
>" three-quarters of yard too long +
d him, and that both coat and waistco
d positively refused to come very mu
If more than half way round his body.
r "What must | do?' almost shrek
es the unhappy man. 81 cannot face I
/ Il Al i