The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1911-10-06
A Widow and a
Railroad
By M. QUAD
By M. QUAD
Copyright, 1911. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

line by a cross cut of half the dis
lance. The curve had been made to
reach a boom town which had later
been fire swept and then abandoned
The Widow Carter, relict of farmer,
lived on the line of the rejected cut
off. 1t must run between two lakes
on her farm, and the isthmus was only
seventy feet wide.
There was not doubt on the part
of the railroad people that the widow
would sell the right of way for 500
or so. One day a company lawyer
paid her a call. He was a man of
fifty, about the widows age, and the
two had not talked ten minutes Def re
it developed that they used to go to
school together as children. When it
came to speaking Of the right Of way
the lawyer treated it as trif1ing mat
ter. All other landowners on the line
had granted it for nothing. but in Mrs.
r Carriers case they would pay 500 if
she would bind herself to keep quiet
about it.
II won't say either yes or no today"
she replied. There's something |
want to remember about our school
days-some incident Of Importance that
you were connected with guess
can think it up tonight, nd you can
come back tomorrow"
The lawyer departed, thinking the
widow a bit odd in her ways, and he
was back in due time next day.
Look here, Sam Davis" said Mrs.
Carter as they were seated. Il was
purity sure there was some incident,
and it has come to me. You know
there was q hill back Of the school
house at Wharton
YES"
"And we used to slide down on sleds
and boards at recess and after school?"
$50 we did"
Zone noon you asked me to ride on
your sled Halfway down the hill 1t
upset, and l lost big cud of gum
was chewing"
The lawyer laughed and slapped his
leg, but the widow had very serious
face as she went on:
|
to pay me a thousand dollars for the
right of way. I'm going to get even
for that lost gum"
"a hundred dollars is a big price,
widow. It's land that you make no
use off,
But I may decide to make use Of
it. No; the railroad can have 1t for q
thousand dollars, but not cent less"
ut can condemn the land under the
law, you understand. and in that case
it would get it for So"
"Well. let 'em go ahead"
The railroad company didn't care to
20 ahead until it had exhausted other
means. 1t would raise its figures. and
it would send other lawyers to her.
Meanwhile the widow consulted law
yer in the village. He was one horse
lawyer, but he was posted on the thing
she wanted most to know. In certain
states a railroad cannot secure the
right of way through dwelling house
by condemnation proceedings. If the
owner asks an exorbitant figure the
value is to be set by three adjacent
landowners. This law applied in the
widows case, or soon would. She al
once ordered lumber to build a shanty
on that isthmus. and within a week
she was living in it.
The railroad sent on another lawyer
who offered 5000 for the right of way
Mrs. Carter was firm. Then another
lawyer and $500. Mrs. Carter was
firmer.
Railroads often seize by force what
they covet' and then fight it out in
court. The idea was to do it in this
case. Mrs Carter borrowed every shot
/ gun for a mile around and was ready
for battle. She actually fired charge
Of bird shot that entered the legs OF
three trespassers and sent them howl
ing Then the railroad people got 6
, minister from the village to go dowr
/ and talk with the widow. He saved
l his breath, even IL he didn't earn his
money. The moment she understood
his errand she said.
, Now, parson. you don't want to but
into this Your business is to preacf
! of goodness and heaven and angels
! Mine is to beat the railroad. You e
right back home and leave me to rur
things here"
Then the railroad offered $500.
Just half my figurep' was the wo
mans reply.
s. Then they called for commission o
three to view and value They wer'
three farmers and were good Friends
D Of Mrs Carter. They put the value a
4 $1,000 One Of their reasons was tina
n the passing of trains would make tn
q fish in the two lakes very nervous
Another was that the whistles of tn
locomotives would prevent the widow
from hearing her clock strike AM
q might set her roosters to Growing al
n hour ahead of time
n WheI the award was made know
n tod 60 cnf