The Press., 1883-09-13
A TIN PEDDLER,S ADVENTURE.

my OCCuRcnGlOh o44OuS5A A4AC AAtso OOCA O somewhat peculiar one. I have been 8 tin-peddler for fifty-nine years, and only retired from business in November, 1881. I was eighty-three years old in February of the present year, and so far as can learn, I am the oldest tin-peddler in New England.
 Peddlers in my early days were more highly esteemed than they are to-day. The back counties were then very sparse ly settled, and sewing machine peddlers, book-agents, Irish linen peddlers and all the rest of the genius were unknown. The only peddler was the 'Simon pure" tin-peddler, who often carried, in addi- tion to his stock of tin ware, calicoes, wo- mems shoes, pins, needles, thread, jack knives, writing paper, lead-pencils and a score of other knicknacks. To the people, and particularly the housewives in the re- mote towns, where the country 'sstore" was ten, fifteen or twenty miles away, the tin peddler was welcome v1sitor-a real necessity.
 For 8 number of years one of my routes lay through Oxford county, Maine, and Gorham, New Hampshire, thence out to Littleton, Franconia, Bethlehem, and round southward again past Lake Winnepissogee.
 From 1861 to 1868 broadened this route somewhat by including within it Err rol, N. H., and going up through Dixvills "Notch," so called, and out to Colebrook on the Connecticut river. And it was while making my round through this lat ter section of country, in the fall of 1863, that the adventure of which am about to speak, befell me. s-..e
 I had reached Errol on the 3d of Octo- Der, and set of from there on the forenoon of the 4th, to go through Dixville "Notch. , The distance from Errol is eleven or twelve miles, the road extending up the open val ley of Clear Stream-a beautiful drive, particularly at this season, when the au. tumn foliage has taken on it's most vivid tints.
 Even tin-peddler may have an eye for the beautiful in nature. l used always to enjoy this ride up to the Notch, and also the Notch itself, with its frowning portal and remarkable row of Alpine peaks, form ing, next to the notch in the White Noun tains, the most striking scenery in this en- tire section of country.
 For number of miles from Enrol there are farms along Clear Stream and with these farmers wives had considerable trade. It was nearly night when reach ed the long stretch of unoccupied lands, below the Notch. But I wished to be at Colsbrook the next day, and drove on to reachla little tavern just through the Notch, where could stay until morning. then owned large, strong, white faced horse-''Old Charley my cart was large and heavy one. At this stage of my round, however, had sold the bulk of my stock of tin ware, but had taken in quantity of rags in sacks, which were piled up and lashed on top of my cart i; while inside the cart had one or two tubs of butter, with several feeces of wool and bale of yarn. My load, consequently, had an unwieldly aspect, though it was not unusually heavy.
 But the road in the Notch is hard one, even when it is in repair and when I reached the small Dixville tavern, it was seven o'clock.
 These were "war times," as the reader will see from the date given above and some queer business was reported to be going on then, back and forth, across the Canada line. 'Bounty-jumpers" and ''sub- stituto brokers were playing bo-peep with Uncle Sam in many of these frontier set dement's. Confederate spies and agents, too, it was said, were making these places their points of entry into the country, and of exit from it.
 
 young, at the the tavern that night, two OF three of whom impressed me as being peculiar ip appearance and manner one tall, well-made, ksen-looking man of twenty five or six, who had the most vigilant gray-blue eyes I ever saw set in human face.
 About an hour later, something of stir was created in the house by the arrival of three more men, who the landlord told me in an undertone, were government detec- tiyes. They had come in from Colebrook.
 None of these things concerning an old peddler like myself, however, I kept my corner, smoked my pipe and went early to bed, first seeing to it that old Charlie was properly fed and bedded, and then taking look to my cart, which had been drawn under the shed.
 The next morning was cloudy and threatened rain. It was one of those raw. cold, north-easterly storms which often occur in this region at this season of the year. was anxious to get on to Cole brook, however, and taking an early break fast, l harnessed my horse, paid my bill and left the tavern.
 For some distance westward from the tavern there were thick spruce woods. It locked so likely to rain that drove on Dub SOIu0uOW GQ0 Ca1G seemed to draw hard; noticed it at the very first rise in the road, but as had taken on no additional load at the tavern, I concluded that either my axles needed looking after or that old Charlie was feeling tired that morning. At the foot of the first consider able hill which we came to, I let him stop to take breath. We were perhaps, mile and half from the tavern. 'r:5
 I had no sooner stopped and put my foot to the brake than felt stir, a move ment, in the cart under me ! Almost at the same at moment the little folding doors at the rear end of my cart slammed back, and heard something or some one jump out, or fall out, into the road could not see for the piled-up bales of rags be- hind me, and so climed up, partly on them, to look over-wken what should I see but the tall fellow had noticed at the tavern the previous evening. He held revolver in his hand and pointed it full in my face
 I could hardly believe my old eyes 1! ''For massy sake {! Who be ys, and what dye want ?" exclaimed.
 ''Come now it won't pay to make any fuss, old man,, said he,. very coolly. "I want you, and shall have to ask you to get down from your seat and come round here to me-"
 There was half smile on his face, but I knew from the expression in his steely- blue eyes that he was not in fun. But my temper was rising. 'What right have you to talk to me like that ?" exclaimed. 'sThis is my cart and this ia the public