Iron County register., 1900-06-14


wreck, didn't you?"
"Of course we didi Caleb, this can't
be you! 1t must be your ghost!'
I'm your old Caleb in the flesh, Mary.
Have l got back in time to step your
marriage?''
I'VE were to be married tomorrow
"Shoo! That's another close shavei
I'm awfully sorry about it, but /
couldn't get here any sooner. 1 got a
knock on the head in that smash
which made me looney, and 1 went wan
dering over the country till | was
picked up and sent to an insane asy-
lum. 1t was only the other day that
the wheels got out of my head. So
Anson was ready to toe the mark
again? He's a dear old brick!'
Again Anson Davis came running
over to verify or disprove the news.
When he saw Caleb Jones in the flesh
his feelings were hurt.
1T wouldn't have believed it of you!"
he said as he reluctantly shook hands.
Caleb, this is carrying the thing too
far. You shouldn't have turned up a
second time
Il do feel kind O. mean about it, ad-
mitted the returned.
Il should think you would. When a
mans dead and buried and has a tomb
stone over his grave it's his business
to stay dead"
Caleb went into full particulars. and
as he could show a head squeezed out
of shape and letter from the super
intendent of an insane asylum in COR
roboration, he was finally forgiven by
the aggrieved parties and the wedding
garments packed away again.
Il know you feel sort o edgewise
about H. he said to Anson, a few days
later, 'but I'm hoping that when l do
go you'll toe the mark
why, yes; l promised to-" was the
reply, land L never break my word.
Yes. you can depend on me-"
This time it was year before Caleb
had any further adventure. although
his heart trouble grew worse, and the
doctors told him he was liable 10 drop
dead any day. He went away one day
on a seven mile journey to visit sis
ter, and while crossing a bridge on
which crowd had gathered to watch
the flood, the bridge gave way with a
crash and sc people were swallowed up
in the rushing waters.
That Caleb was. among the swallowed
there could be no doubt. as half a
dozen people who knew him saw him go
down. During the next three weeks
most OF the bodies were discovered. and
his was among the number. The widow
identified it by dozen different marks,
and had been very particular about it,
because Anson Davis had said:
Mary, of course l shall marry you
when the year is up. and we can't af-
ford to have any more Mistakes
The body was duly buried, the weeds
put on for the third time. and the tomb
stone erected over the grave said that
Caleb was not dead. but only gone be-
fore.
In that the epitaph was partly right
and partly wrong. Had it said that
he was not dead, but only gone down
the Ohio river it would have hit the
nail on the head. For a time Anson
Davis kept doubt in his mind. and the
widow never looked at Ca.ebs old boots
without wondering if she could pos
slbly have been mistaken in her identi-
fication, but as time went on, Caleb's
little way of breaking in upon matri-
monlal programmes was forgotten.
As the year was drawing to a close
Arson suggested that date be named.
and Mary named it. 1t was to be a quiet
wedding this time, and it was to be in
the evening, and two days before the
event was to come off Anson went ND
to the cemetery and made sure that
Caleb was 'at home,'' and likely to re-
main there.
He reckoned without his host. and
only with tombstone, however. The
widow was dressed for the marriage
and the minister on his way to the
house when Caleb Jones returned for
the third time and calmly announced:
We'll, Mary, I've got to disappoint
you and Anson again, and l say I'm
feeling mighty mean about it,
He had gone into the river. sure
enough, but a beam had fioated him
for 20 miles before he was picked m
by steamboat. The steamer was a..
ing down the river and in hurry. and
Caleb was finally landed in Cincin.
natl.
As he had got that far from home,
he thought he might as well go fur
ther. and he tramped over three or four
western states before setting his face
bomeward.
The three-times widow said he ought
to make up his mind to live or die. and
quit making her nervous over it. but
of course she was glad he had come
back. With Anson Davis it was diff
ferent, however.
NO, Caleb, l cannot take your hand"
he said as he drew back. "I-ou are
not a man of your word. You are not a
man to be depended on Your dead bodd
has been found three times. and there
are three graves in which you are lying
and three tombstones telling of your
virtues, and yet here you are be-
fore usi"
"But don't be mad at me, Anson,-
pleaded Caleb.
I'm not mad, but hurt The inius-
tice of it rankles. Caleb Jones, hear me
when / say that / will never. never
marry your widow! I'm sorry for her,
but owe a duty to myself, and if you
die again she'll have to go it alone for
all of mel"
"Shoo!" said Caleb, as his face
heightened and took on look of sor-
row. Il didn't suppose you felt like
this about it, Anson, but being you do,
and being as / can't really blame Won.