Morris tribune., 1886-11-24
HIR LAM WESTON'S DOUBLE

New Yorf. Sun.
It has often been said that some.
where in This world every person has
his double. The assertion is too
broad for acceptance, but it rs certain
that there are doubles, and that the
close similarity between people has
led to many grave complications. 1t
is not yet ten years ago that q man
named Hiram, Weston, living in q
small town in Ontario, was hired by q
tinsmith to drive peddler's wagon.
He made two trips and started on a
third, but after he had gone two
days the outfit was returned
by d farmer, who said that it
had been left in his barn
yard at night. AS Weston was miss
ing, search was at ont begun, and it
was finally shown THAI he had been
seen in company with two strangers
at railway station, where all had
taken the train for buffalo. AS the
tinsmith had lost nothing he did not
care to follow the case up. 1t was
pretty generally known that Weston
and his wife did not live agreeably,
and although she insisted that he had
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
four citizens who had known him for
ten years. One of these, Mr.. Will
Jams, saluted him with:
"Weil, Hi, you aren't dead"
"Oh, no."
"Come back to stay?"
~ guess So"
Which way have you been?"
"Out West"
II was talking with your wife yes.
terday, and she said you had never
written line to her"
Weston grinned and scratched his
head, but made no reply. A Mr.. De
Mann then said:
1--WE spent four weeks looking for
case of murder. Next time you're 60
ing to step out you'd better let some
Of US know it.
"Yes, will" answered Weston, as
he STATED up the street. 1t was aft
erwards remembered that he acted
like strange man in a strange place.
He inquired of boy about hotels,
and the lad directed him to one, and
added:
81 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
go back to her at all, or perhaps he
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 d&ugh-
ter Edith, a 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
answers were returned, |
and IN such a way as to cause the land
ord to remark:
why, Hi, one would think you
mad forgotten your family and had
ost yourself"
"Yes," he replied, as he rose up to
20 with the children, "but I've been
zone quite spell, you know.
Mrs. Weston was neither q smart
lor an educated woman, and had the
of having bitter tongue.
Several people followed Hiram home
% see the fun, but there was none.
The wife met and kissed him at the
loor and had no reproaches. After
;wo or three days he went to work
iigging we'll for citizen, and for the
lext SIX months he labored very
teadily-so much so that it was gen
rally remarked that Hiram Weston
lad changed his tune. He seemed to
i've very happily with his family, and
!is wife's father, mother and brothers
we're often at the house to speak in
lis praise. At the end of about six
months very serious thing occur
ed. Hiram Weston started off one
ay with his dinner pail, having been
lired to repair a fence for a suburban
armer. At 10 o'clock that morning
Hiram Weston also came in on the
rain from Buffalo, and the first thing
Ghen he got off the cars he asked after
is family.
"Why, l saw you home last even
ng," replied the citizen who had been
Questioned.
But | have not been nearer home
han this for over eleven months"
He was laughed at. He went straight
o his house, and, as he entered it, his
rife asked:
What's the matter; and where is
our dinner pail?"
Now, scott if you will; but it is a
natter of record and also of newspa-
er publication, that there were two
firam Westons. That is, there were
wo men SO exactly alike in build,