Jasper County Democrat, Volume 16, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1914 — The Tavern at Old Hadley [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Tavern at Old Hadley

An Episode In the Days of Ghosts and Witches

By F. A. MITCHEL

There is a town in Massachusetts that smacks as much, if not more, of the early colonial times than any other in North America. Its name Is Hadley, and f! y <■: !! ii Old Hadley, but why it O cw. 3. . u neces-ary to mention the fact of its age is not apparent. Certainly no one would ever look upon it, as y|tang Hadley, was cheap when Hadley was settled. CoaseqTiently they laid out the main street of the town as wide as a modern block is long, with two rows of trees on each side, a row within a stone's throw of the houses, the other row within calling distance of the houses on the other side —that is, by a strong pair of lungs. Later the settlers laid out another street not far from the first, but since there has never been use for two parallel streets in Hadley the first is now deserted. But the same trees planted several hundred years ego still stand there. At one end of the street to which the town was moved there is a dwelling which in the olden time was the tavern. The bar is still there over which formerly passed many a mug of flip, but it is now dry. The visitor looks longingly upon it, half expecting to see the landlord hand out the steaming beverage, then turns away in disappointment, and the curtain that hides the bar is lowered. One cheerless night long ago when the trees were throwing their great arms about in the wind a party sat tn this barroom endeavoring to bear up against the weather by a frequent calling on the landlord for flip. They said It was the weather that rendered the stimulant necessary, but that was au age of superstition, and the real reason for their potations was a fear of ghosts. Every time a gust of wind would shriek through .the trees above them the color Would leave their faces, and when

it had died away, moaning as it went, they would order a fresh fortification to brace them against the next gust. “There's witches in that wind,'-’ remarked one of the party, a man with a red head and a green coat. “1 can tell 'em. Hark! Whenever you hear those shrieks, followed by low wails, you may be sure the witches are riding over tlm tops of the trees.” “Yes," chimed in a shriveled 'oldman in a plaid waistcoat and extra sized buckles on his shoes, “and they don't always keep lid in’ on the trees; sometimes they come down and get inside of miserable sinner. And they don’t all keep around Salem neither. They say .there's a girl down to Holyoke that was caught the other day vomitin’ crooked pins.” “It isn't tile witches that make a man's marrow freeze up," said a youngster olj eighteen, trembling as he spoke. “I heard the other day that a ghost was going round in the flesh." “You don't mean it!" exclaimed the man in the plaid waistcoat, taking his clay pipe from his mouth that his chattering teeth might not bite off the stem. "1 hope he won't coipe in here.” At that moment there was heard without a creaking and a "splashing, and in a few minutes the Springfield coach drove up to the door. Among those who alighted was a man with u waxy complexion, and dark rings around his eyes. As he stalked with a measured tread into the tavern every one looked at him. The man in the plaid Vaistcoat made his escape through a rear door. Another arrival, the exact oppysite of the waxy faced man—a rosy cheeked young fellow—shook the wet off him, kicked the mud off his boots and said: “A mug of flip, landlord, and be qniok about it.” The landlord scuttled back for the beverage, and the rosy cheeked man looked about * him for a seat. The waxy faced man had seated himself UT table wJtie-e liicre were others.

nut one by one rney nan nrispn and gone somewhere else. The red cheeked party marched up to the table where the ghostly looking man sat and, drawing out a chair, settled himself in it. The others in the room looked on with holy horror, for the man’s waxy flesh aiid dark rimmed eyes gave him the appearance of being an animated corpse. “Friend,” said the rosy man. “will you have a mug of punch with me? You look as if you needed something to warm you up.” “I'm not to be warmed,” replied the other in a sepulchral voice. “Where did you get that earthy smell there is about you?” “Young man, do you wish to communicate with the dead?” “Reckon I'm doing that now.” "Go up to your room, blow out the candle, and you will see your grandfather.” “Who'll bring him?” “x will.” 1 “You! Do you suppose I'm going upstair* to sit in a cold rooib in the dark while you stay down here with your nose in a mug of steaming punch? Thank you, I know when I am well off. However, I've 10 shillings in my pocket. I'll bet you that you can’t call up the ghost of my grandfather or any other ghost.” “Ten shillings!'* replied the waxy man contemptuously. “Do you suppose that I court material things?” "Well, if you don’t want the money you can aive it for charity.” “Charity! Yes. but what is 10 shillings for charity? Make it £lO and I consent.” His vis-a-vis looked through his pockets and found only the 10 shillings and a few copper?. “Friends,'* he said, “this man is an Impostor. He is going about trying to impress people with the belief that he has something supernatural about him. If you’ll stand by me I’ll show him np. Raise the £lO among you to match his stake, and you’ll be the richer by that amount.” This gave courage to the others, and a desire sprang up among those present to discover whether the waxy man was really one from the dead or playing on their credulity. But it must be remembered that a desire for money was as fixed among our ancestors as in us. An effort was made to raise the stake, but failed, since there was not so much money among the company. The most that could be obtained was £6. However, the waxy man generously offered to accept this stake instead of the larger amount, and the money was put up on both sides. “Who's to hold the stakes?” asked the rosy cheeked man. “For my part. I would be williug that the man" with whom I am betting should do so—that is, If he remains here in this room till the wager is settled.” “I hold the money!” replied the -other sternly. “I never touch inofley except—except when 1 am as men are, Hold the stakes yourself!” He said this in such a ghostly ton ■ that it brought back something of the former fear of those present. So great was the awe that the gaping settlers did not think to protest when th • rosy checked tnan stuffed the money in Ins pocket and. taking a candle, staned upstairs. “What number, landlord?” ho as! ! i “No. 8.” replied the landlord, hand ing him a key. [ When the man's footsteps had ti ed [ away, a profound silence fell on .the I house. The man from the grave ad | motionless, alone, at his table, and j nearly every eye in the room was !\- led upon him. The wind, which hid | continued to blow, gave several prolonged InAvis. at the end of which £h> man who had gone upstairs was heard to give a shriek, indicating some frightful experience. The man who had agreed to introduce him to his grand father rolled his eyes about over the company, as if in triumph. No one stirred. Presently the landlord pin lied up courage and started upstairs. He was followed first by the most courageous, afterward by the others. The dpor of No. 8 was found to be locked. The landlord called to the man within, but. receiving nq answer, he broke it down and found the chamber empty. “He's been spirited away,” suggested the limn with the plain waistcoat, shuddering. “Didn J t I tell you,” said the young-, ster who had made the predict! >n. “that a ghost was going around in the flesh? , He's the man downstairs.” By this time it was noticed that a sash in the bedroom was open, and it occurred to the landlord that the occupant had dropped out through tlie window. It was no great, distance to the ground and a very easy fall. “My friends." he said thoughtfully. “it's» my opinion we've been robbed. He's gone with the money.” ne hurried downstairs to find the waxy man. He, too, had vanished. “What say you. friends?” said the landlord. “Shall we give chase to these rascals?” “What!” protested .the man with the red head and green coat, “(live chase on a night like this? I prefer to lose the few shillings I, contributed to curiosity.” * “No one has lost very much." said the landlord. “Come, gentlemen. We may as well drown our disappointment. I’lJ brew a bowl of punch for the purpose." A couple of hundred years have passed since this episode took place in the tavern at Old Hadley. The low building still stands on the broad street. Of a windy night there is a thrashing of branches, a moaning in the trees, but the age of ghosts and witches has passed, and the present inhabitants turn over in their beds without <t shudder.

THE ROSY CHEEKED MAN TOOK THE CANDLE AND WENT UPSTAIRS.