The Sunday morning news., 1891-11-15
Nv.

AJ 0
BUT ALHAMBRY WAS LooKTN CLOSER. AND
sHE KNowED HER SPOUSE AT LAST.
Where all this time were Neptune Bel
cher? Alas, the shadder of misfortune's
ebon wing had likewise fell onto him.
darkening for the present all his life.
Nep left the hotel that mornin sort Of
mad. Men is as vain as women, come
to know 'em good. And he was think
ing of his hair. Twas curly and real
lively red and become him, but he felt
to wish it was black. What he'd went
out for was to find Captain Peeler and
give him his watch and great-granper's
messages, but wallzin down Broadway
he noticed hairdresser's store, with a
sign, 'sHair dyed artistic" into the win
der, and he stopped and looked at the
figgerhead revolvin slow and solemn,
with black curls and mustachers onto it,
and seemed to him eft he looked like that
he should feel more sure Of Alhambry
James affections That's what he laid it
onto, anyhow. So he jest stepped in and
asked kinder carless, as eff it was more
of a joke than anything else, eff red hair
took black dye good3 And they told
him, s'Splendid." Next thing he was in
a back room, with looking glass and a
big chair, all wrapped up in sheet, be-
ing done black. When they got through
he stood amazed.
He had jetty tresses and long black
mustachers with waxed ends. His side
whiskers wus shaved of. and the whole
confirmation Of his physmahogsny was
altered; what, with his nose being yet
swelled twice its size, he didn't know
himself.
81 hope my wife will be pleased now >
he sez, kinder doubtful.
'sShe will be sharn," sez the barber,
who wus furrin. Neptune wusn't quite
SO sure, and it seemed tn him dyin come
expensive, fur his bill was seven dollars
and forty-two cents, but he chick
cred up as he went along. Seemed to
him the ladies looked at HIM morn
customary, and everybody likes TO be
detractive, and he was walkin along
with his head in the air when who
should he see but Captain Peeler trottin
up street az great rate, bound to get
there, wherever it was.
.sHellol" says Nep. but the captain
didn't hear, and off Nep sets at great
rate. He and the captain always sky
larked when they met, and never think
ing how he'd changed his looks, Nep no
sooner catches up to him than he grabs
his watch chain, jest fur to skeer him.
and hollers out.
"Hullo! You don't wear your watch
no more, captainF
Next minute down he went kersmack
onto the pavement, and the captain stood
over him with his big knob headed cane,
yelling, "Perlicel perhcel"
"Why, cap! capt" says Nep, Don't
you know me, cap?"
''Nol Nur don't want to-" says Cap
tain Peeler. And there was Nep in the
middle of a crowd, perlice clutchin his
collar and sayin:
"Hullol What's up?"
'sThe fellow attacked me-" says the
captain, ''and my watch is gone. See,
Ii . 4lOLu O1C CildA1s
''This it?' says the officer, pullin the
captains watch, that Great-granper
Rusk had give him to give the captain,
from Neptune's pocket.
"That's it." said the captain. He was
nigh about as abstractive as Alhambry's
pa, and hadn't missed it before. You
see it didn't go, and he just wore it to
show off. "Thats it, says he. II
wouldn't hev lost it for no money, and
twas co-inside-ants that harf an hour
after Alhambry wus walked into the sta
ton house round one corner, Neptune
wus walked into it round the other.
Now, ef could sackerfice the truth
to literary effecks should say that as
soon as Neptune sot eyes upon Alham-
bry Jane, he exclaimed in mingled hor-
ror and delight:
"Heavensl Do behold my newly
welded bridel What strange 1nischance
has fetched thee hither. my Alhambry?'
but he didu't.
What he aid say wus:
"Thundsrl that's my wife!"
els tina. your husbandy'' says the lega
lawyer, speaking sudden to Alhambry
HE says he is"
'sThat my husbandl" says Alhambry
turning and looking, fur as she knew, a
stranger. "That Eyetalian with wa,
ends to his mustachesl No: wouldn'
hev had him eff he was the only mai
left after the deluge" Despair had ri
Alhambry's temper, andN Nshe spoke short
Now. though Captain Peeler hadn'
recognised Neptune, he knowed al
hambry at cuce.
"Why. Alhambry Jane" says he
"you herea Why, my landsI That
what that feller there's been tellin me
| How't he was Neptune Belcher, as if
didn't know Nep. Turn up nose, re'
hair, side whiskers considerable redder
Why, I've just had that feller arreste'
for stealing my watch. Nep no more,
have stole my watch than nothin."
But Alhambry wus lookin closer, ant
she knowed her spouse at last.
..Oh, cappenw says she, sit is Nep
tune; it is he. He's been dyin of hi
hair and Shawn off his whiskers, but m,
heart reckernises him through all" say
she. what do you mean by stealth
your watch2 You left it tn our house
Great-granper Rusk gave it to Nep t
fetch to you.
"Wall, want to know" said the cap
tain. why, tits Nep Belcher. Wha