Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-01-17

h'AiP'i Nnbl Atutu as the
At first hc laughed. then l.e i.
that liz OLD man was probably
Tool than he looked and i.o... ti .
snake
Catch old Pcrcham and yo;
Peacham, and you'li have at least
man that Knows bow JerompS b..
was burnt aad who put the ius .
the track iu lroni OF tle freight. O..
said cnpAa,.,ahs
NJ last Me! turned on Iour-e..
VINO was advis.u- him q" uaae uis
viii and ordered him out or tle store.
There's no las againsf S,andiu I'm
the postoi,ice. .... $50 ,-ilncd the nm.
truder
Wiley started o,f from behind inr
counter. and the inan fed. outside .e
reported that the pos mas.rr was
frothing at the mouth and might be
expected TO have nt at any mo-
ment. Wiley's face. I'm fact. assumed
an apOplectic look: even his colIarless
neck was scarlet. and he brcathed
heavily as he waited on his customers.
The eager scrutiny of half hundred
eyes and certain audible comments on
his personal appearance considered in
The light OF the prophecy perhaps did
not contribute TO his comfort
The Impression gained ground that
ne was at least badly scared. If not
actually i'll. Winfield Smalley's place
became focus for speculation upon
Bakers prospects here and hereafter.
and regular bulletins of the state Of
his health were circulated there.
"A 4.
poSimasicrship was begun by two
rival candidates i'm the village. Per
sons who owed Baker small amounts
began To pay up ana. ON the other
hand. one or two creditors who had
heretofore REGARDED his verbal promise
To- pay as ample security now request
ed notes Of hand
News ha> duid ami pervaSivc quail
tty I'm The VILLAGE. end mono of these
signs and omcuS could escape Bakers
notice. Within two or three DAYS il
was town talk that. from bcin- hail
fellow well met with every voter and
householder in town. the postmaster
had suddenly become close mouthed
and morosc. lie even began il seemed.
10 resent the presence of the inform
ONNll
wont To gather every evening in his
store. discussing thc uov@ Of the day
AMI Mnchiug casually out of cracker
and dried fruit boxes. The assembly
found itself slowly but surely frozen
out and at last adjourned m "a body
across the street to Winfield Smallev'S.
The restaurant i'm these DAYS quite
usurpcd the popularity of the store.
There was to he sure less TO eat. cx-
cept on penalty OF paying for ill., hut ut
least talk was free and there was once
more host ready and willing To lead
the conversation. ON the all absorbing
subject OF Wiley Baker Smalley was
fluent
Il declare l don't know what to
think" he would say con6dentialIy.
shaking his head. You can see for
yoW Wiley's breallin. He amt
had word to throw M dog for the
last two or three days. and people tell
me when ne goes To weigh out sugar or
coffee his hand shakes 50 I he some
times gives overweight. Yes. sir. it
looks bad. | ain't been near him my
self. for hear he sort o. connects me
with the prophecy. me bein the one to
hear Ii. and OF course i'm his condition
bein so full blooded. any excitement
might bring on stroke. Lord knows
I'm the last person 10 wish to shorten
his span a. life. Let's see: this is the
25th. ana old man Peacham said this
month. Wen. sir. IN five days wen
know whether the old man really has
got the second sight or whatever il is
some thinks he has or whether he's on
ly lunntic, as Wiley says. Anyways.
the old man don't lack FOR food nor fire
these days. Pretty near the whole
towns been mp there by now. guess,
| and few like TO so empty landed If
anything does happen 10 Wiley. the old
manll live i'm clover. that's sure"
During tue next two or three days
people declared thar Wiley Baker was
falling away; that his clothes hung
loose on him. and he could hardly hold
himself erect. ana there was ut least
no doubt about the fact that on the
aVening of the 2Sth the town was con
yulsed. for Wiley had taken to his bed.
His wife said in answer to all in
quiries during the evening hat he had
bad headache. but expected 10 be
around in the morning. In the morn
ing. however. far from being around,
Wiley called i'm the doctor. Sanderson,
NJ. H.. had practiced in the village ever
since il came into existence, but he
was not accustomed to being consulted
in any light matter and in fact was
generally not sent for until the patient
was beyond recovery. When it be-
came known. therefore, that he had
visited Wiley. the latterS fate was
considered sealed.
Wiley. who had never been suspect
ed Of imagination. gave himself up for
lost and made his viii. His obituary
occupied the attention Of the town,
though cOgnatc subjects such as
prophecy i'm general and old man
Peacham lP particular. the wreck Of
the freight train and the fact that the
railroads men were looking for Jim
Peacham. were revived with lively in
fereSt. Arroyo Grande had never be
fore had SO much To talk about, and
business languishcd except i'm the sa-
looms. while every one waited for the
Grape bow 10 appear on thc pOStmas
fnrfS Hnnr Ia u