The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-02
STORY OF BEN PIDCOCK
GREAT REVOLUTIONARY WARRIOR
NEGLECTED. BY HISTORIANS.
How He Became George WashingtOn's
His Wonderful Pink Blue Jay.
Hartford Times.

Hartford Times.
One Of the quaintest and best of the old
time story tellers to smoke a pipe by the
warm fireside of hospitable and famous old
Hyde Tavern was Lutte johnson, Of Wind
ham, The original Hyde Tavern was kept
by Jim Hyde. as he was generally known,
and stood on the heavily-traveled turnpike
between Norwich and Willimantic. 1t was
more noted than other houses of its kind
for miles around because of the superior
character of it's entertainment for man and
beast Hyde Tavern was so old as to be al
most historic. Every one in the State knew
| of it seventy-fve years ago, when the pic
MICS and balls given there were important
affairs, and when the ancient and CHEEKY
| apartments of the low-studded old tavern
| were graced by the fairest and bravest of
| Connecticut's daughters and sons, for Jim
| Hyde made the house Mecca which drew
| the young people there from places as far
away as even Hartford and New Haven.
The delicious cider flip made at this tavern
| was also famous, and a famous event in the
history of the house was the visit said to
| have been made to it, once upon a time,
by General washington while on his way to
| war Office in Lebanon. 1t wa upon this Wis
| it that Lutte Johnson used to base his some
| what remarkable story Of General Washing
| ton and Ben Pidcock's pink blue jay. ben
| Pidcock," Johnson would begin, and every
| sitter at the tavern -fireside would shift
| about in his chair in expectancy, was the
| greatest story teller that ever helped to
| hand this ere tavern down to fame, an
reckon he'd tell ye so, If he was alive to-
night. People used to come here from all
| over, Jest to hear him spin his yarns asst
| ting alongside Of that ere fireplace about
| every night for nigh onto seventy year. The
| squalling of the blue jas this fall has re-
minded me, / dunno how many times, of
Pidcock's blue jay story. Pidcock had
string of surprising yarns that he'd told so
many times that he felt every confidence In
their reliability.
mo one at the tavern knew where Pid-
he never went outside of, the town limits,
but there amt no doubt that his sitting
around SO much with the old-timers mere
helped him about stocking Ibis brain in
this direction. He was patriotic, spirited
an always laid the scenes of his adVen-
lures in revolutionary times, and finally he
became as firm in his belief that he was
a fighter in that ere war as any OF the
warriors who ulster patronize this place SIX
ty years ago. Pidcock had tame blue
jay which he sot great store by. 1t was
OF a peculiar pink cast of color, an ne q
split it's tongue an taught II TO say Gln-
eral Washington, leastWays that is what
Pidcock would tell yer, for the memory OF
Washington an the pink jay were always
associated in his mind.
BEN PIDCOCKS CUE.
eve used to ask Pidcock about his re-
lations with Washington, and that would
start him off, barring Jon'than Trumbull,
1 was the most intimate associate of the
gineral in these parts for years. Pidcock
would say, an 1 shall never forgit the
time when his life was probably saved by
my pink blue jay. History is all right,
Pidcock would tell We, but it don't make
no mention of one-half the facts concern
ing the gineral that ought tew be reported.
Why, if this ere tavern could talk it would
tell We that here it was, when caught our
late. an when tired, respondent, coln an
hungry, the great g1neral stopped on one
occasion while travelling in-cognl-toe he
was a-going up to meet Brother Jon than
. History don tell We nuthin, P1dcock
would tell We If he was here tonight, how
the gineral came intew this ere room where
l was a-showin' my blue jay an takin' my
tod of rum an tansy an how, although a
perfect stranger tew me, he was attracted
tew me at once He patted my pet Jay on
the head, and. admirin the bird which was
on bein of a beautiful an UNUSUAL lay
lock Qilac) pink all over Its wings an
breast. An he says tew me, says he, MY
man, what can the pretty crltter DO. Ana
very much pleased he seemed when made
the bird say "Gineral Washington"
IAN at that Pidcock uSeter say the
distinguished visitor said tew me, says he.
''Pidcock we air just the man am a-look.
in for. 1 hear yew air. an artist in maxim
| f'9 allowed wed that / could an he watched me
get a tankard from the long shelf across
the room an put some hard cider an some
eggs an sugar an spice intew II, an peat
'ern up Then he watched me heat nip
iron red hot an dip 1t intew the mess
until the hissin' heat made the drink lntew
fnI cIi6
smooth that it was all gone before he'd got
well to drinkin'. An he says. says ne;
"Pidcock, yew air wonder-ma:K max l snaiI
remember oyew. Now, what VIII We" nave
tew. drink?'' co,,a +or cav .Fum and
tansy," when suthin' told me for the fust
time that this ere was the great gineral
a-standin' before me- Pidcock would tell
We. sSuthin' in his big manner an his tired
Washington, the leader of the patriot
army. So jest said. 'Thankee, sir; don't
drink anyfhing c am }ust tbnk Of taking
anything from such great man. An they
was all a-goin' tew laugh at me, them that
was in the room, when they heard me say
this but when they saw the stately form
of the great gineral a-Standlng there
suthin' prevented 'em.
An the gineral, he says teW me,
BRAVO my boy, yew air the stuff we make
soiers out Of" an went out
History don't tell Pidcock useter say
how / conveyed tew the landlord my be-
lief as lew who his distinguished guest
was. OF course it don't. Nor how, the next
morning when the gineral wanted tew set
tie for his nights lodging, nobody would
take a cent from him. Ye couldn't git any
body tew touch his money an every one
took off their hats an bowed an bowed
again I shall never forgit how the great
soier looked After minute he said:
q : "Well, If yew won't take nothing from
me I will tell yew who / am. am GineraI
George Washington, commander-in-chiefo of
the armies and navies of the You-nited
States
THE PINK BLUE. JAY DRAFTED.
when Gineral Washington passed the
tavern on his return from Lebanon, Pid-
cock would tell we if he was here moth
ing would dew him but that me an my
pink Jay should go with him tew the front
an help tew drive the red coats out of the
country. 1t was then that our acquaintance
growed into very close intimacy. My bird
perched itself on my shoulder every time
went intew battle. An when we was at
the battle of Monmouth THAI ere pink blue
law of mine did this blessed country of
BURMA mighty good turn. Yet history says
nothing about it! Jest tell me, If yew can,
what history really amounts tew anyway!
And Pidcock would get almost angry over
the matter.