Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-04-29
THE WORM TURNED.

Teddy Alright was in a bad way, con
sidered matrimonially. He was the hen.
pecked husband of romance, and he knew
it, and Mrs. Alright knew it, to say Moth
ing of what the ~neighbors knew. There
was 10 getting away from the fact that
Teddy was bossed by the missus. You
could tell it by the cut of his coat as well
as by the cut of his jib. He was a meek,
mild, ~inoffensive man at the best of times,
and at the worst of times-namely, when
Mrs. alright was on the rampage-when
you might ransack the dictionary in vain,
endeavoring to find a word to fit Teddy's
self abasement.
The gray mare was undoubtedly the
better animal, and Teddy realized that all
he was fit for was to go to work regularly
and punctually and bring home enough
cash to keep the two of them, counting
her portion as about four-fifths of the
whole.
She always took possession of his wages,
10 he had no chance to try anything in the
way of Iuxuries. He made the attempt
once-and only once. The occasion pre-
sented itself in the shape of few shil-
lings' worth of overtime, and Teddy al
lowed himself to be persuaded within the
alluring portals OF the ''green man." He
went home at closing time and did not
show up at work next day. Rumor, the
lying jade, said something about a broom
stick and a black aye, and 1t may be that
rumor was less Of a jade and not quite so
much Of a liar in that instance.
Teddy broke out again, in the face Of
great temptation, on the day when he
welcomed a long lost brother home from
America. With an ordinary wife a plea Of
e~xtenuating circumstances would have
been received, but Mrs. alright was no
ordinary woman. When Teddy came home
late and tried not to look merry and jul
bilant she made short work of the pre-
tense. The long lost brother had accom-
panied him in the insane desire to see fair
play, which was never on tap at the All
right maison, but the lady Of the place
soon sent him about his business with
an undesirable and irritating insect in his
ear.
The interview with Teddy was no less
stormy and equally short. The poor atom
of humanity went to bed sore distressed,
In his soul, and there was a strange some
thing gnawing at his heartstrings which
may have been a desire Of protest, or was
it the wish for revenge2
Whatever it was, it worked when Teddy
met his brother again. "I've got an
idea, " he said, 'sthat my wife don't treat
me exactly right" 1t was a step gained
The idea had been terminating for a long,
long time, and was now to bear fruit.
The brother Harry cordially agreed.
cts my firm opinion" he remarked,
THAT that wife of yours treats you in
formally bad, and she treated me the same
last night"
"But what's to be done9 I don't see
any remedy"
"Don't your Pay her back in her own
coin."
Teddy shook his head. "It's impossible.
It can't be-"
"From what you have told me about
her I think it can. Listen"
Mrs. alright, returning home that
night from her usual weekly attendance
at the mothers meeting at Ebenezer
chapel, was in a happy and beneficent
frame of mind. The world went we'll in.
deed just then, and the good lady put her
best foot foremost like a 2-ysar-old.
lit is nearly 10 O'clock" she ruminat.
ed, ''but I shall be comfortably indoors
before the rain commences, and Teddy
will have got the supper ready" just
then 10 o'clock doomed out. dear me, "
said Mrs. A., cit is late. 1t is against my
rule for either of us to be out after 10.
All, here we arel"
M Che hoI txrrvnoI Abo ~, - ~ Tho ckuaak
and reached her domioiliary edifce. All
was dark. "Surely he can't be outl No,
he wouldn't dare!"
She rang the bell v~iciously. No reply.
Could he have gone to bedp No. Once
more, he wouldn't dare!
But it was coming on to rain, and pref
ty smartly. 1t was highly absurd to be
standing on her own doorstep unable to
gain admission to. the realms where she
reigned supreme. Suddenly the parlor
window was raised. "What do you want9"
asked a strange voice.
II want to come in, Of course"
go away, my good soul. You are in.
toxicatedr"
That was when Mrs. alright wondered
why the earth did not open and swallow
her. "You horrid man, how dare you tell
me that out Of my own window"
@"Your own window, indeedl Go home
before you get wet through"
Her answer was to start ringing the bell
again and clamoring at the knooker. Just
then a policeman doomed large from round
the corner.
Here, officer, y cried the strange man
from the parlor window, "take this WON
an. She's creating a disturbance"
Mrs. alright shrieked, but the .consta.
BILE was remorseless. "Now, then" he
said, "move on out of this, and lively"
"But I live herel'
docs she live herep' to the face in the
window.
"No. Certainly not. Intoxicated, I
thinkl''
Then the policeman led the poor lady
away and conveyed her, fearful and be-
draggled, to the corner Of the main road.
Half an hour afterward, when a contrite
woman orept back to her house. she found
the place illuminated and her loving hus-
band waiting supper for her. And his
brother was there as well.
The contrast was 30 extraordinary that
the lady was afraid her mind was un.
hinged and that her previous experience
was Q phantom Of her imagination.
"It's a quarter to II, and that's late"
remarked alright.
Eyes, dear, IT 10. And I'm go sorry!"
alright was as pleased IS Punch at
this new tone, and he never had cause to
regret the stratagem, which IL still a mys-
terry to the lady, but ID perfectly plain to
4 n.lS-tn I.~kA~. ~-A .