Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-01-27
A ST. VALENTINE LEGEND.

Some thirty years ago, on the very
spot now occupied by Abingdon Square,
there stood an old dilapidated, wooden,
Dutch built house. IL was known as
the old Red House. Locking at that
section of the city. now SO thickly set
tied. The little anecdoIe l am about TO
relate will seem like fiction; for the old
house stood entirely alone, and above it
far nearly a mile there was no dwelling.
The Red House was the terror Of the
young. FOR 1t was whispered about among
them that it was haunted. In i. dwelt
Hrns7, a fat. good natured Dutch
man. Hans kept some kind of store or
stopping place, where the few stray glin :
way farers who occasionally visit the city,
to dispose of their vegetables. or make
purchases-for there were, even then,
some cultivated spots between that point
and what was called the French Tan
yards situated near Forty second
street.)
Before the door of that Red House
stood wooden trough; here stragglers
would stop to let their horses drink; here,
too. at all times of the day, might Hans
be seen sitting on bench within the
porch, smoking his pipe, looking happy,
and. dare say. feeling so. He lost his
frau. but Providence, as if to console
him for a sorrrw he did perhaps not feel,
had left him daughter, his Petsey.-
Betsey was The idol of his heart. She
was q good natured, healthy looking
girl, about four feet in bighth, and near
ly as broad as she was long. Looking
at Hans you might suppose he had
not an aim in life beyond watching the
wreaths OF smoke as they ascended
from his pipe. But he had an aim
That him was to see his Petsep comfort
ably settled in life. Hans had long fix
ed his eye upon young countryman of
his own, who liveduear Spuyten Duyvel
Creek-Shon by name-and him Hans
had fixed upon for the husband of his
Petsey. Shon, however, though he
came regularly once a week TO give his
horse drink at the old trough and take
a mug of cider with Hans, made little
progress in the way Of courtship. Grown
desperate by the delay. he was deter
mined to make one grand effort. Accord
ingly, on memorable Friday (that be-
iug Hans lucky day. he filled his pipe
aud sat down in The porch 10 wait the
arrival of Shon.
There was nothing perceptible in the
appearance of The man indicating that
Of great moment vas on hand,
nothing could be observed ssve. prehaps,
hat The curling smoke was little more
iense, as be pulled it vigorously from
lis mouth. At length the expected
'hon came in sight, and Bs:sey was ar
Tered TO bring out dish Of her best
loushnuts, and mug of sparkling
ider. 81 think" soliloquized Hans
i shall know what ish what, before l see
he bottom Of that mug of cider" Shou
hen drove up as usual, uuhitched the
rldle Of his horse in the same old wav.
ave and received the same Old greeting, J
nd finally took the same old seat '
irst disappeared The cakes and cider $
L length, after long puff, Hans said. a
lie cakes pc goot. Shon.'' P
"Ya," Shon replied $
"Petsey makes them" rel. ined Hans. b
"Ya." again replied Shon.
"Shon,' said Hans. now losing some d
his Dntch apathy, "mine Petsey is is
lie nice girl" IL
Ya." again said Shon. lc
Now tells you what, Shon, the H
an what gets mine Petsey, will ge, Vi
mething; he wilt get one COW, one oi
ather bed, one Frau, and when dies a
erything has-you knows mine &C
stsey. To be sure she is not SO tall g;
It then she is the aOider out. 1 likes hs
u, Shon,; will you have the COW, the ed
.ther bed and Petsey for your Frau?" so
"Ya, Ya!" responded Shon, so he th
zed the mug and offered it 10 Hans. sp
l he bargain closed. and l do not be. a
We ShoD has ever had cause to regret or
bargain. The property of Hans be. fir
ne valuable. Shon got not only nj
ID frau, cow and a feather bed, but oti
the death Of Hans. which happened be
ne fifteen years after, sufficient to buy ne.
estate near Yonkers, where he now the
IS with his good frau, who is the mi
'rtest and 'Uiae't woman in the place. of
IN takes particular pride in five or aic
little white headed children, the are
It property of Betsey and himself nuI
ere Shon dwells under the shadow of the
own vine, where the still offers ha:
g of cider and pipe 10 his friends.-
7. Herald.
lin
.ord Bacon is said TO have frequently our