The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-05-01

well darned gloves and started on her
GRAND. When she arrived at "a Regen-
ey square she knocked at the door tim
idly enough; but there was q hard, de-
terInined look upon the thin features
and the great, hollow eyes sparkled
fercely. She asked for Mrs. Beauchamp,
and was shown up at ouce as the young
person from Mr.. Halfbc2e's. Mrs. Beau
champ was in the dining room giving
the finishing touch to the floral decora-
tions of a rather elaborate cold luncheon
which stood ready served upon the table.
sit is SO good of you to have brought
it. I am dying to see it." And she took
a knife from the table and enthusiastic
cally cut the string. 1T Is charming.
1t is capital" she said, as she gazed &C.
statically at tho picture. "Algernon's
looking his very best" And then in her
rapture she kissed the portrait.
The pale young woman looked paler
than ever.
II ought to be ashamed Of myself. I
really beg your pardon. But you see
Capt. Graham is my afianced husband"
said the widow conidentially.
"He was my affianced husband once"
said the young woman simply.
"What do you mean, girl?" said Mrs.
Beauchamp, as she seized her iercely by
the wrist.
ssThe original OF the portrait, madam,
is my husband, my miserable, unprinci-
pied husband-the man who left me to
starve or to drag out a wretched exist
ence to which starvation would be prefer
able. The sordid wretch who preys upon
the weaknesses of others, the man who
hesitates at no meanness, and who, from
what you say, madam, is prepared to
add bigamy to his other crimes"
ST cannot believe it," cried Mrs. Beau
champ. sit is some trick
"Algernon won't deny it if you care to
confront us, madam" said the young per-
| son from Mr.. Halftone's, YEARLY.
The tone carried conviction with it.
Mary Beauchamp felt a ball rise in her
throat and the hot blood mount to her
ears as she remembered that she, too,
had called him A~lgernon only yester-
day, and then she snatched the giittering
ring from her finger and trampled it be-
meath her little foot. OF course this was
quite the correct thing to do under the
| circumstances, but it did not really hurt
the ring, as the Turkey carpet was com-
| fortably thick.
"If you will permit me, madam" said
Mrs. Graham, 81 will take care of that
ring, which, I take it, came from my
husband. That is his knock" she said
c~onfdentially, as a tremendous rat-a-tat
solo was performed on the street door,
'sand if you do not mind, she continued,
"as I am not very strong, I will sit
down"
81 beg your pardon" said Mrs. Beau
champ, al was very rude" At thatmo-
ment a servant announced Capt. Gra-
ham. "I think I am a little before my
time, dearest Mary" he said effusively,
as held out both hands, half expecting
that his fancee would rush into his arms.
He was totally unconscious of the pres
ence of Mr.. Halftone's assistant. capt.
Graham" said Mrs. Beauchamp, very
coldly ''permit me to introduce to you
this lady, who tells me she has met you
before"
The young woman in black rose and
confronted him. 'sGreat heavens, Ada!'
he exclaimed in his establishment; but
he recovered himself in an instant. "You
have scored the odd trick, ladiesl' he
said, jauntily; "and perhaps it is FORUM
ate for all Of u.s." he added, with effront-
cry. "Honors are easy. l am afraid
you will have to excuse me. 1t might
be better after all if I ask you not to
press me to stay to lunch. You will
doubtless have a great deal to say to each
othcr.' And kissing his finger tips to
the pair Of them the captain effected q
mastery retrea:.
That was a lesson to Oliver Beau
champs widow she is not ct all likely to
forget. She is still single, for somehow
or other pretty Mary ~Beauchamp is very
hard to please. Perhaps it is a case of
once bitten twice shy. She is not an un
grateful woman, and makes Capt. Ora
hams deserted wifea liberal allowance
AS, in truth, is no more than is just,
considering the abyss from which the
latter rescued her. That gallant officer,
Capt. Graham, has long been compelled
to leave his regiment, and the last that
any of his former associates have heard
of him was that he was nearly lynched
as a welsher at Hampton races. They
are a very rough lot at Hampton races,
and if ever a man stood in need Of a
now s,1it of clothes. it was Capt. Grs-
ham upon that memorable OCCASION