New Ulm weekly review., 1886-12-01

met With foul play, and wanted the
search continued, it was soon drop
ped on the idea that he had run away
from her. He was little missed by
the community, and when the case
was called up it was universally con-
ceded that he would turn up safe when
he got ready.
One day, five months after his dis
appearance, Weston returned. He
was first seen at the depot by three or
tour citizens who had known him for
ten years. One of these, Mr.. Will
Jams, saluted him with;
"Well, Hi, you aren't dead?"
"Oh, no."
"Come back to stay?"
II guess So"
(Which way have you beenT
"Out West"
II was talking with your wife yes.
terday, and she said you had never
written a line to her"
| Weston grinned and scratched his
head, but made no reply. A Mr.. De
Mann then said:
eve spent four weeks looking for
case of murder. Next time you're GO
ing to step out you'd better let some
OF us know it,
Eyes, will,' answered Weston, as
he started up the street. 1t was aft
erwards remembered that he acted
like strange man in a strange place.
He inquired of a boy about hotels,
and the lad directed him to one, and
added:
IL saw your boy Fred. yesterday,
and he has got an awful boil on his
leg"
The landlord of the hotel saluted
him as Hi Weston, as did some of the
guests, and the fact OF his engaging
board was not considered strange,
though his wife lived only mile
away. Perhaps he did not intend to
60 back to her at all, or perhaps he
wanted to get certain promises be-
fore he did go back. He entered the
town at 10 o'clock, in the forenoon,
and it was 8 in the evening when his
son Fred, boy of ten, and his daugh-
ter Edith q girl of seven, called at the
hotel and urged him to come home.
They kissed him. called him father,
and he seemed glad to see them. In the
presence of the landlord he asked some
questions about their mother which
seemed very strange at the time, but
were at once forgotten. He asked her
age how many children she had, how
long the father had been gone, and
what vocation he followed when at
home. He did not ask these questions
direct, but yet in such a manner that
satisfactory answers were returned,
and IN such way as to cause the land
lord to remark:
"Why, Hi, one would think you
had forgotten your family and had
lost yourself
EYES," he replied, as he rose up to
20 with the children, "but I've been
gone quite spell, you know.
Mrs. Weston was neither a smart
nor an educated woman, and had the
reputation of having bitter tongue.
Several people followed Hiram home
to see the tun, but there was none.
The wife met and kissed him at the
door and had no reproaches. After
two or three days he went to work
digging we'll for citizen, and for the
next SIX months he labored very
steadily-so much so that it was gen.
orally remarked that Hiram Weston
had changed his tune. He seemed to
live very happily with his family, and
his wife's father, mother and brothers
were often at the house to speak in
his praise. ) At the end of about six
months a very serious thing occur
red. Hiram Weston started off one
day with his dinner pail, having been
hired to repair q fence for a suburban
farmer. At 10 o'clock that morning
Hiram Weston also came in on the
train from Buffalo, and the first thing
when he got off the cars he asked after
his family.
"Why, l saw you home last even
ing," replied the citizen who had been
questioned.
"ButI have not been nearer home
than this for over eleven months!"
He was laughed at. He wen straight
to his house, and, as he entered it, his
wife asked:
whats the matter; and where is
your dinner pail?'
Now. scoff if you will; but it is a
matter of record and also of newspa-
4 per publication, that there were two
Hiram Westons. That is, there were
two men so exactly alike in build,
height and general appearance, that
even wife and children were deceived.
For time Mrs. Weston believed the
newcomer to be, the other Hiram
returning from his work, but he
told her a story which opened her
eyes. He had gone off with a couple
Of sharpers, and, in return for some
"work" done in Buffalo, he had been
sent to State prison for q year. He
was in prison when the other Weston
came to town, and had indeed beef,
discharged only the day previous to
his own arrival. 1t may be stated
here that all his allegations were found
to be true. He vas identified by the
y s Z