The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-11-15

SHE KNowED HER SPOUSE AT LAST
Where all this time were Neptune Bel
cher? Alas, the shadder of lnisfortune'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 EN- 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 walzin down Broadway
he noticed hairdresser's store, with a
sign, ssHair 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 eff 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 Joke than anything else. eff red hair
took black dye good? And they told
him, splendid" Next thing he was in
a back room, with looking glass and
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 off, and the whole
confirmation of his physmahogany was
altered; what. with his nose being yet
swelled twice its size. he didn't know
himself.
81 hope my wife win be pleased now"
he SEE. kinder doubtful
ssShe will be sharm," SEE the barber.
who wus Turin 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 walldn along
with his head in the air when who
should he see bat Captain Peeler trottin
up street at great rate, bound to get
there, wherever it was.
'Helloi" 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:
"Hullol You don't wear your watch
no more, captaini''
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. capl capi" says Nep. Don't
you know me, CAPT"
mot Nur don't want to-" says Cap
tain Peeler. And there was Nep in the
middle of crowd, perlice clutchin his
collar and sayin:
"Hulloi What's up?v
'sThe fellow attacked me-" says the
captain, land my watch is gone. See,
it's nnhitched from the chain.
.'This itY' 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. That's 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, eff | could sackerice 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:
sHeavensl Do / behold my newly
welded bridei What strange mischance
has fetched thee hither. my AlhainbYy?"
but he didu't
What he aid say wus:
''Thundsrl that's my wifel"
is thai your husbandT says the legal
lawyer, speaking sudden to Alhambry.
HE says he is.
THAT my husbandl'' says Alhambry,
turning and looking, fur as she knew. at
stranger. THAT Eyetalian with wax
ends to his nustachesl No; / wouldn't
hev had him eff he was the only man
left after the deluge.r Despair had riz
Alhambry's temper. andAshe spoke short.
Now, though Captain Peeler hadn't
recognised Neptune. he knowed AL
hambry at cuce.
"Why, Alhambry Jane says he.
lyon here? Why, my lands That's
what that Teller there's been tellin me.
How't he was Neptune Belcher. as if 1
didn't know Nep Turn up nose, red
hair, side whiskers considerable redder.
Why, I've just had that Teller arrested
for stealing my watch. Nep no more'd
have stole my watch than nothin.
But Alhambry wus lool1in closer, and
she knowed her spouse at last
'Oh, cappeni' says she, sit is Nep-
tune; it is he. He's been dyin Of his
hair and Shawn off his whiskers, but my
heart reckernises him through all. Essays
she. What do you mean by stealth
your watch? You left it tn our house.
Great-granper Rusk gave it to Nep to
fetch to you.
wall. | want to know said the cap
tain. Why, It's Nep Belcher. What
thunderin fool bel He come up run
min. didn't know him from crow
and he shoutcd out, Yon amt wearin
no watch nowadays. and he grabbed NV