Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-06-11
A SACRIFICING DRUMMER,
How ns Raised the Yilus Of Real Estate.
1ne History Of q Haunted House in =
Western Maine Village Corner.

Commercial travellers ~ q general thing
are very particular when bed time comes to
have good room and all the comforts that
the hotel affords; and yet in their journey
lngs about the country they oftentimes are
obliged to put up" with what they can get
IN this Line. But seldom from choice. How
ever, during the scribe's visit to Western
Maine not many years ago he ran across a
commercial man who for the sake of novel
experience was willing to sacrifice almost
every thing, even the luxurious feather bed
OF the country tavern where every one in this
line of business managed to spend the night
when in this part of the country.
This runner whom we will call Sanford,
was like the majority of his business COM
panons,a strictly matter of fact man and be-
lieved nothing which he could not test by one
of his five senses. Sitting on the nail kegs
about the country corner grocery, one even
ing after business was over, the crowd of
loafers were engaged in telling stories
These stories were for the most part, those
concerning experience, in various exciting
events. The grocer, however, reserved his
story till the last and it was the history of the
old, two story fiat rooted, roomy mansion of
former days, afterward used as a tavern, sit
uated about half mile from the store at the
"corners of the roads,
This is what the grocer said: Eyes, about
twenty years ago we had exciting times here.
The old tavern, as we called it, you've no.
ticed it TO the runner) as you have driven in,
at the corners, was kept by little old man
and his wife, named Payson. Payson was
the toughest character anywhere in these
parts. He kept rum, and his house was fire. |
quented by the tough tickets Of the place who |
would play cards and drink till almost sun
rise. For many years the old man had been
reported as "feecing" all who came within
his power, and strangers who put up there,
not knowing the place, lost money and other
vauables in most mysterious ways. The
old man always kept the deviltry inside the
four walls of the house and paid his bills, SO
not much was said about him except that he
was hard fellow and should be looked out
for. Well, one night tin peddler, named
Martin, drove his cart into the tavern barn,
and after seeing that his horse was cared for
locked up his cart and went into the house.
Martin had several hundred dollars on his
person. He called at this store. then kept by
my father, and got rid of small bills and
script, for notes of larger denominations, SO
we had some idea of the amount of his cash.
Martin retired early that night and that was
the last seen of him by any one. His cart
was never found, though several years after
wards the tires of four cart wheels were
found about seven miles from here in the
woods, with other pieces of iron work be-
longing to a vehicle. People have supposed
these to belong to Martins cart. Martin had an
appointment with father the next morning, but
as he did not keep it, father asked Payson
where Martin went. Payson said that he left
his house very early in the morning and
couldn't tell which road he took. Payson and
several of the roughs had their heads together
closer than usual for some weeks after the
disappearance Of Martin but at the time no
one suspected anything wrong. Payson
about year afterward sold the house and
went out West, and within few years the
gang that used to congregate at the old tavern
was entirely gone from the place. "A man
named johnson bought the house and lived
there year or so, but suddenly sold out and
moved away. Several owners of the property
were in turn as uneasy and left for other
fauna lpaked ont after a " hilp that the |
house was untenantable owing to strange and
myster ious noises that were frequently heard,
not only during the night time but also dur
ing the day. A man named Boyd bought the
place and declared that haunted not he
was going to live there and he moved in, and
began to fix up the buildings, but one stormy
night his wife and children who were there
alone, fed to the neighbors, declaring that
they heard groans and some one walking
about in the house. Boyd
finally succumbed. He was the
last man who lived there and owns the
property now. For ten or a dozen years, no
one has lived there and the old house has rap
idly gone to seed. Daring boys and some
men have endeavored to sleep there for the
deviltry of it but have given up the job before
the sun rose A crowd went there to sleep
one Fourth of July night but commenced
their out door work much earlier than usual.
have charge of the property and have been
there but have not heard any noises except
once. One rainy day like this, 1 went there
to fix window that the heavy wooden blind
samming had knocked in. l heard the
groans and was startled, but did my work all
the same.
The travelling man listened to the story,
lighted fresh cigar, and looking the grocer
in the face n moment evidently to see how
much he meant by the story. said: 81 am
going to sleep there tonight" The grocer
advised him to go to his hotel but the COM
mercial man was determined and the result
of the conversation was wager of twenty
Ave dollars between him and the grocer that
he would stay there till called for in the
morning The grocer flied out the drum
mer with two blankets, a supply of
cigars and one or two other articles, including
lantern. The money was placed in the
scribe's hands and the drummer was escorted
down to the old tavern by the crowd, the
door was unlocked and he was hidden good
night however being first assisted in col
lecting some wood with which he built
fire in the huge fire place of the Living
room. Considerable sport was had as the
party walked back to their homes. The
scribe went to his hotel and to bed. expect
ing to hand the grocer $50 the next morning.
..About O'Clock a knock on the scribes