Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-05-06
reAseo INTO 4 MA0nAH.
The Tragedy That Closed The Career o. an
Exeter Simpleten.

howiinp mailman; all his few numb wits
having been stirred from idiotlc torpor
to maniacal fury by the GROWING tras
edv az Amasa's poor, blighted life. My
notion is that the whole affair had more
elements of real horror in 1t than any
thing that has startled the Maine couh-
trvside for many a year.
Amasa was born that way-a simpie
who couldn't put two thoughts together.
part of his life he spent on the town
farm at Exeter. But when hts OF uli
easiness seized upon him he roains .n
about from town to town IN wesl.a
penobscot He sought out the Doys a nv
they leased him. He seemed to coruiany
hate them ALL but still he huhs I IT,.
the rogues who tormenteo mn; 80
decorated him and he rebelied AT lIie ~
tastic gew-gaws. Then fooieu "y aII in
fervent assurance that he looked Wei l> -.
bic new adoruments Amasa would grow
fond of the feathers and rlppohs a m,ra -
tags and display them proudly. I ne
upon the boys would promptly oishi"''
him. 80 ,I+arnate
rao,, and nrde were highly dlVertiilsA,ioi
the boys They didn't realize tnat ~
were prodding on poor 1901 'o""
tragedy. q I,av+ar raw
;,,a even II. he came in mild as a lamp.
rye hoys of Dexter were parucuiiils
,nganious in teasing. On the occasion o.
Amasa's last visit they got dt illiii 49,
an especial vengeance nc Sil. noe
town entertaining the mild delusioH III IA
10 was a huff cochin rooster on q pm
grimare He wore feathers all over MIN
self stuck in his hat ana III thS 9e"
of his frayed garments. lie nau peeii "a
dustriol,sIy gathering them from lar
,.,ars, door-yards for week. Amasa
,yas stilI in a partially moulted coAol-
ton when he arrived in Dexter pnt an
obliging youth stole fealnei .u9'oi
from Jim kerbys store ana al, Ai,ias"
feat har
III not dwell on the events of the BUSY
week Amasa kept dark for two days
on the strength of a confidential report
that the Methodist minister was COINS
to entertain the bishop anu "aiiteu
plump buff Cochin rooster for "a roast.
They told Amasa that the minister Was
carrying an axe around with him whlie
making parish calls in order to be ready
to chase up certain strange rooHter
who was no less than Amasa himself:
favorite diversion was to take the
moor simpeton out on the street ana
suddenly inform him at some street cor
ner that the minister was coming. ANA
ca Invariably tore away, hopping ms
feathered arms and squawking as nearly
like a frightened rooster as he could. NO
doubt the cstimable clergyman, during
that week was puzzled to note what
frantic fear he was inspiring IN me
breast of certain queer parsonage VINO
went racing and chasing away whenever
his black frock hove in sight.
AS long as Amasa remained timid
and domestic buff Cochin he was fairly
endurable, for outside his regular crow
ing spells undertaken on the village
square he created no real disturbance.
But the boys soon found the impersona-
ton rather stale.
His shrill clarion didn't divert Even
when he scratched the soil with the
ragged toe of his boot and peered about
alertly for worms he failed to be anus
ing.
Then some one suggested to Amasa
that he was a bald-headed eagle. That
some one didn't know what he was put
ting up in the way of trouble.
1t took some little time to really con-
vince Amasa that he was a bald-headed
eagle. He much preferred his humble
position as buff Cochin. 1t was less
exactng. Had the merciless Methods,
minister let up on the pursuit and put his
axe away Amasa would have been the
happiest rooster on earth. But even he
with his poor scattered wits could APP
preciate that this eagle business might
be troublesome.
1t required not only argument to con
vince Amasa that he was bald-headed
eagle; he had to have a lot of new feath.
ers and pair of spiked strips of wooo
to fasten on the inside of his ankles.
Then when he had looked himself over
he decided that he really was an eagle
bald-head and all the rest.
AmaSa was so enthusiastic a bald
headed eagle that in less than a week
the Exeter selectmen were sent for post
haste to remove him to safe quarters
No longer did he flee from the minister
No longer was he timid No, he was the
pursuer the hunter. He lurked for hours
on a high store platform waiting for the
minister to come along. in order that he
the eagle, might 'swoop. What h
would have done to the minister is, o.
course. a matter for conjecture. Blu
what he did do to stranger in town
whom some one pointed out as being tn,
clergyman, we did witness.
When the unsuspcious stranger wa:
conveniently near. Amasa, with a shril
yell and with every feather huttering
went racing at him. The man haltet
dumfounded Such a singular appari
ton he certainly never saw before. Ant
Amasa was at such close quarters there
no opportunity to seize club ant
stand the maniac off. So Amasas on
rush bowled the stranger clean over II
the dust The spike spurs caught in tn
mans garments and down went the bald
headed eagle. rolling over and over witt
his victim. The more Amasa kicked t,
free himself. the more did his spikes en-
tangle themselves in the strangers cloth
ing. When men, who ran to the rescue
got the bald-headed eagle and his enem,
unsnarled. the stranger had to hold "
his tattered trousers with both hand
while he fastened to the nearest clothing
store.
Amasa was still unsubdued He yelle
and shreked and beat his wings am
the ground about was strewn with flut
tering feathers. He kicked so ferocious
ly with his spiked legs that all the by
ISLANDERS were kept lodging.
Even after he had been stripped of hi
spurs and landed in the lookup by tn
united strength of half dozen men. hi
fury was undated. From an innocen
fool he had become about as savage
maniac as the Dexter crowd of tormen
tors had evolved for many a month an
they gaZed with some awe on thei
dreadful creation.
By the time the Exeter selectmen GO
along. Amasa was bit quieter He sa
on the edge of the lookup bunk with hi
still stuck to the notion that he
bald-headed eagle though a rather NOR
tractable bird.
When the handouts were put on hir
he only blnked his CLASSY eyes and neve
sound uttered he. Nor did he speak o
the seven mile ride to Exeter poor farm
The selectmen had been duly informe
on their arrival in Dexter of the natur
of Amasa's Authorization. 1t was quit
natural. therefore. that they should dc
eide to build cage for the strange. ne'
bird thus precipitated on their hands.
There was small. two-room buildin
located near the main house on the Exc
ter poor farm. In one room was an oil
woman. bed-ridden and feeble, who wa
kept here in order that the other inmate
might not disturb her
The other room was not occupied, e,