The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-01
A CASE OF PRE-EMPTION.

woman. whom / knew as Widow Haley.
One day 1 called my assistant, MIR. BenJa-
min Barker, into my room and said: LOCK
here, Barker, you've got to go down to
Widow Haley's. She sent word that there
is some stone ready for us, and l want it
looked over before it is shipped, especially
those pillars for the entrance"
every well, sir" replied Barker, 'Tn
take the first train tomorrow and be back
tomorrow night"
.sNon said |, don't do anything of the
sort. Sit down and write the old lady that
you'll be down to the place Saturday, and
then she'll meet you at the train. Besides
that. she'll kill yellow legged chicken for
your dinner"
It was about 1920 O'Clock when Barker
reached Agamenticus, and when the train
had gone be was like the world renowned
Robinson Crusoe--" of all he sur
veved"-and he felt, to slight extent, as
Mr.. Crusoe felt when he found himself all
alone and "a long way removed from any
where" But he was not great while left
to his meditations. 1t was not more than
five minutes before his attention was at
tracted to a cloud of dust rising through
the trees in the direction in which the high
way leading by tho station seemed to run.
The cloud of dust came nearer very rapid
", and suddenly powerful bay horse,
hitched to Concord wagon, bounded into
view. and when Barker saw that a woman
held the lines he conjectured that the
woman was Widow Haley, and she was.
The horse approached the station at
smart pace, and was brought to stand
still with a suddenness that must have
given shock to his nervous system.
'Good morning, madam" said Barker,
lifting his bat and at the same time NOV
ing toward the wagon. He had been stand
ing in such position that the woman had
not obtained fair look at him, and as he
moved out into full view she seemed to see
something in him which had at first es-
caped her attention. Barker noticed that
she gave a start, and that she had to pause
little before she spoke. But when she
did speak it was with directness and with
out embarrassment.
'I'm Wilder Haley" she said. "Be you
the man from Architect Billiards. that was
to meet meg"
eyes, Pm your man." Barker answered.
sfShall climb in?"
Mrs. Haley gave her assent, and when
Barker was seated by her side she hit the
horse a vigorous slap with the ends of the
lines, and he was soon pulling his load
briskly over the road which he had recently
Travelled in an opposite direction. 1t was
about four miles to the quarries, and
though Barker made several attempts to
engage the widow in conversation he got
very little out of her more than yeses and
noes until the ride was almost completed
But he was conscious that the widow was
greatly interested in him, for he could see
that she was all the while, as openly as she
dared, engaged In looking him over. They
were well along in the last mile of the
road when Barker, turning sharply around,
caught the widows eye while she was gaz-
ing earnestly upon his face.
"Well," he said good naturally, "what
is it?''
The woman blushed and turned her head
away.
81 s'pose I was rude" she said when she
had thought out her reply, ''but 1 couldn't
help it, You look SO much like him."
"Who's 'him?'" demanded Barker.
''AIy husband"
''The late Mr.. Haley?"
eyes. He's been dead an gone these
twenty years, but when / see him last he
was as much like you as peas is like peas"
tive evidence as to- his resemblance to the
defunct Mr.. Haley. Two old men stopped
hammering stone and looked at him, and
he heard one of them say to his mate, did
YOU ever see a man look so much like an
other as that teller looks like Rufe Haley?"
1t was understood when Barker and
Mrs Haley left the quarries that the for
mer should not return to Boston until
:, .rnk,.
uuarreying which would not be ready for
examination earlier than Monday morning
az guess you'll git along all right over Sun
day." the widow said. you kin climb the
mounting an go gunnin' and p'r'aps Ellie
will take you out a-ridin' in the AFTERNOON. "
'Effie: that's a girls name, is it not?"
Eyes, Ellie is my daughter, an if / do
say it, nobody amt got no better girl than
she is"
"Of course not"
''She was jest year old when her father
died, an I've had to bring her up all by
myself, but amt ashamed of her. think
she's pretty likely girl; Idon't know what
you'll think of her"
''Oh. I'm sure that shall like her." said
Barker, laughingly.
Upon the wall of the room into which
Barker was shown on arrival at the widow g
house was a large photograph of the late
lamented Haley Barker no sooner set
eyes on this picture than he was ready to
share with the widow and the two quarry
men their astonishment at his resemblance
TO the man who had been twenty years
aead When dinner was served Barker
found the yellow legged chicken which had
been promised him and sundry other
things good to eat. he enjoyed his dinner
very well until the servant spilled a quart
bowl of hot pudding sauce down his neck
md back. When that happened he felt
uncomfortable for minute, which, OF
course, was perfectly natural.
you'd better take the coat off an have
it cleaned before the stuff dries in" said
the widow.
But" objected Barker. II can't go
around in my shirt sleeves"
would you be willin," asked the
widow, Ito wear one of Rufus coats?"
Certainly, madam said Barker.
The widow hustled off up stairs and was
Soon back again, holding out a long tailed
ghiny black coat. Barker took the coat,
and after regarding it for a little while as
It hung suspended from his thumb and
e. tcrefinger by the hack of its neck put it on
and finished his dinner He was still wear
ing the coat Al hour later, when the wild
pw's daughter Efiie arrived home from
North Berwick.
Now, it happened that this coat was the
rery one which the late lamented wore
wnen the photograph was taken of which
mention has been made, and clad in /,
Barker looked more like his prototype il
the picture than before. When the widow
presented him to her daughter the young
woman caught the resemblance as quickly
Is her mother had although she mad No