San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-04-29
A CASE OF PERCEPTION.

l am an architect, and few years ago
was charged with the erection of build
ing in Boston. in the construction of which
| uSe,l a considerable quantity of granite.
| bought some of the stone of down east
woman, whom l knew as Widow Haley.
One day | called my assistant, Mr.. Benia-
min Barker, into my room and said: Look
here, Barker, you've got to go down to
Widow Haley's. She sent word that there
is some stone ready for us, and want it
looked over before it is shipped, especially
those pillars for the entrance"
every well, SIR" replied Barker, "rll
take the first train tomorrow and be back
tomorrow night"
NO" 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 a yellow legged chicken for
your dinner
1t was about 1920 o'clock when Barker
reached Agamenticus, and when the train
had gone he was like the world renowned
Robinson CrusOe-"mOparch of all he sur
veyed'-and he felt, to a slight extent, as
Mr.. Crusoe felt when he found himself all
alone and "a long way removed from any
where" But he was not Il great while left
to his meditatiOns. 1t was not more than
five minutes before his attention was at
tracted to Il cloud of dust rising through
the trees in the direction in which the high
way leading by the station seemed to run.
The cloud Of dust came nearer very rapid
ly, and suddenly a powerful bay horse,
hitchcd TO a Concord wagon, bounded into
view. and when Barker saw that a woman
held the lines he coniectured that the
woman was Widow Haley, and she was.
The horse approached the station at a
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 hat and at the same time NOV
ing toward the wagon. He had been stand
ing in such position that the woman had
not obtained a fair look at him, and as he
moved out into full view she seemed to see
something in him which had at first es-
capped 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.
"Tm Widder Haley" she said. "Be you
JuC lllGll itOlil <AICullSNl l)NIldlNA y lldJ WIS
to meet me?'
Yes, I'm your man" Barker answered.
"Shall / 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, aud
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 ne 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.
II spose was rude" she said when she
had thought out her reply, "but / couldn't
help it. You look so much like him."
"Who's 'him:'" demanded Barker.
"My 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"
At the quarries Barker heard corrobra-
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 RUFF Haley?"
1t was understood when Barker and
Mrs. Haley left the quarries that the for
mer should not return to Boston until
Monday for there was a certain stone
quarreying which would not be ready for
examination earlier than Monday morning
81 guess you'll git along all right over Sun
day." the widow said. you kin climb the
mounting an go gunnin' and p'raps Effie
will take you out a-ridin' in the afternoon"
"Eifie; that's girls name, is it not?"
Eyes, Efiie is my daughter, an if l do
say it, nobody amt got no better girl than
she is"
"Of course not"
"She was Jest a 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 widows
house was 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
dead. When dinner was served Barker
found the yellow legged chicken, which bad