Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-07-10

leading spirit of the eneighborhood. By
the way, Peck was a good deal of a
character, and his mysterious disap-
pearance about 1916, after selling his
farm to the Mellow family, was for many
years the most fruitful topic of talk and
speculation that could be started at a
Plpersville fireside. It is now general
ly believed that he was murdered and
robbed soon after leaving home for the
lakeshore. He left wife, the daugh-
ter OF once prosperous merchant of
Aberdeen, Scotland, who had sought a
refuge on the Wisconsin frontier after
failing In business, and two daughters,
one of whom still lives on farm near
Beaver Dam, and the other, being sent
when child to her relatives in Scot
land, moves in the most cultured and
aristocratic circles of that country. The
whole story is romantic enough to en-
title 1T to a chapter by itself, and | may
try to furnish it some day, having the
manuscript already in hand as prepar-
ed by a lady knowing well all the cir
cumstances.
But to return. Peck told Pease that
a sufficient supply of good liquor was all
that was necessary for his house raising,
and he would see to it that the neigh
bors were rallied if the whisky was pro-
v1ded. TO this Pease agreed, and at
the appointed time was on the ground
with jug of Watertown frewater. But
the old fellow liked the stuff himself,
and SO he set his brain to work to plan
a scheme for getting his house up and
saving his whisky, too. Accordingly,
be stipulated that no liquor should be
drank till the raising was done. This
was agreed to, and the logs were rapid
ly rolled up into place. Pease was
watching closely, and as the last one
fell into its inches he grabbed the jug
and ran towards Little's like quarter
horse. The crowd yelled at him to
come back, but their demand only put
more wings on his flying feet. AS may
be supposed the indignation of the de-
frauded neighbors was boundless, and
when Peck gave the command, "Rip
her down, . there was ready obedience.
In very few minutes not one log re-
whole party, with Peck at the head
were in pursuit of the fugitive. Reach
ing Little's, Peck at once started up the
ladder to Pease's quarters in the attic.
Pease stood at the top, brandishing an
ak and threatening to cut Peck down
if he advanced another step. But Peck
steadily climbed the ladder, looking
Pease undauntedly in the eye. The
latter grew more frantic in his threats
and demonstrations as the other in
trepid1y came on, and as Peck pressed
upon him he retreated slowly to the
corner where the precious jug stood,
swinging the ak and declaring with all
possible emphasis that another inch
meant the dead line Then, as he
reached the corner, he kept drawing
In the ak till it just oscillated feebly in
front of him, but never remitting his
clamor, while Peck stopped down and
took the jug and made off with it. The
raisers soon disposed of its contents
and then went to their homes, leaving
poor Pease without house or whisky.
The next day Pease came and told my
father the story of his misfortune and
outrage, and the latter agreed to get up
a crowd in his neighborhood who had
not been invited to the festival of the
day before and rebuild his house with
out artificial stimulant, which was done.
/ When the mill was raised Mr.. Har-
grave, who was a strong temperance
man, refused to purchase whisky for the
occasion. But Peck declared that no such
precedent as that could be allowed; so
he started for Watertown in the morn
ing, and few hours later appeared on
the scene of activity with Jug in bag
slung over his back and staggering un-
der the burden of the fluid which it
contained, or perhaps of that which
had fallen down his neck. Lurching
up beside massive oak timber, with a
triumphant exclamation he swung the
jug off his shoulder and let it fall upon
the beam, smashing the pottery to bits
and letting its contents run through
the bag upon the ground. The hurrah
that followed was joined in by all, even
those who had been looking anxiously
for Peck's appearing, and was more
best possible speed to his own home.
Pease had the peculiarity of giving
nicknames to all his neighbors, or near
ly all, for | believe that E. r. Adams
and uncle Ben Piper enjoyed his favor
in high degree and SO escaped these
tokens of his dislike and derision A
few of his honorary titles as remem-
Der them were as follows: Squire Smith
was cold e-brand," Joe Beach was
"Iinch pin," Sawin was star bucket" f"
and my father was humiliated under
the cognomen fold cow" In meet
ing his neighbors Pease was very polite
even Frenchy in his civilities, but at the
first opportunity after passing he would
apply his opprobrious epithets to them.
What became of the old man do not
know, but probably he pushed on fur
ther west as did others of our neighbors
who began to chafe for more elbow room
as the settlement took on population.
The peculiarities of the man gave rise
to many speculations as to their cause,
and if 1.-THE of the things suspected OF
his past history be true, he had good
cause for maintaining his nightly guard.
Another of the characters who dwelt
with us while and then passed on with
the advancing line of the frontier was
man named Needham, who had q
cabin near the Rugg place. He was q
hunter and affected Indian ways. can
remember him as wearing long black
hair, and he always seemed to be moody
and morose. He could handle a canoe
with great dexterity, and more thar
once as | was playing beside the river
was | startled on looking up to see hin
pass by, swift and silent as ghost, his
! paddle perfectly noiseless and his face
] set austerely to the front. His ways also
provoked the curiosity of the people
and they insisted on reading a gooG
: deal of mystery and even romance int
his previous life. One day came home