New-York tribune., 1902-05-25
CONNECTICUT LEGENbS.
IN The EARLY DAYS OF MERL
DEN AND WALLLNGFORD
A TALE OF THE CAT HOLE-RECA1Js
THE REGICIDES- WHEN WASHINGTON
WAS on THE WAY TO BOSTON
JOURNEY OF A DEAD LETTER

stood couple Of miles north of what is ron,
1eIiueh conn., on the road from New-Haven to
Hartford, stone house. 1t had some NJ tho obor
acteristics of a fort for il stood in an IsoIats
spot and there still fear of Indian attacks
On all sides were dense stretches of woods and
iFoWning down upon it the east and west Uere
rugged peaks Sometimes the scream of the wild
cal could be heard at night echong from the
wooded hillsides. Before the building stretched
the old colony road. which ran from New-Haven
to Hartford and the chief thoroughfsre Of
Connecticut
The stone house was the halfway house between
the two places. and here the belated traveller
stopped for the night, always sure of a welcome
ano some good tales from the tavern keeper as
ne sat IN front Of the fire the settle toasting
MS Toes before going TO bed. Some have said that
these merry evenings were the origin of the name
OF Merlden That was merry den" said these
Others more prosaic assert that Governor Relcher
pulit the tavern and gave the neighborhood the
name OF his English birthplace
However this may be- one disagreeable night lat.
IN November, IL two travellers on their wav tn
Hartford sat before the wide mouthed fireplace
hstenlng TO the tales of the tavern keeper The
men had arrived at the tavern just at nightfau
The damp east wind lowering gray clouds as
reliable storm prophecy as any issued by a mod
ern weather bureau. had warned the travellers that
night journey would not be comfortable or even
safe over the rough road and they had been glad
10 sight the stone house.
This is rather rough country round here Uben
compared with the dreary plain OF sand lust after
you come out Of New-Haven" remarked ona of
tnem 10 the tavern keeper, who had just dragged
great log in and thrown 1t upon the fire Tbe
two travellers had finished A Wholesome 20 ro+
Iu&urlous. New-England supper, and We're now
rs pretty wild up through here" replied Their
osi nos as ne prodded up the Goals under the fresh
chimney especially in those hills on the left as
where nothing bigger than wildcat can mere eet
oarough: went oJt with my gun one day and
re6 rean6a near ar gettl4g lost in that tange. had
me TOP OF the tallest peak, and found that
miles in every direction. There was the vater ter
set0w New Haven and it seemed as if I could see
forget the time and didn't think of its being late
of the hill the shadows had made it aio91 ee ds SIZE
started for home. but it slow going on &C,
the branches and had to stop to unfangIe If N
o The sa air MRS go vefS and the & II
, easeah9 b WY Tor t was early in September and
Sc, self in place where there actually unmeited
spot was so covered up that don't believe the sun
k eSer gers IN there have discovered since that
to be frozen @ to death. got out as fast 'ss as
sou eSai9; ,,a Wen tramped all night. I could hear
should judge There was yen not far away that
mace bnenr me look 10 my gun He didn't modest me-
7 was glad enough TO see the sun rise the next
whose top had stood the day before The IN rock ok
n 96t 10 ta hang 9 oyer yer me 1t shot up straight
saw the light, and in couple of hours had found
The tavern keeper paused after recounting this ID
venture to punch up the embers of the fire Then.
returning 10 his seat the settle he asked did
you notice that mountain on vour right as ,,o,
came along? II is called Lamentation Mountain
The story is that a man came down from Wethers-
field hunting. and got lost on the mountain A
party Of Wethersheld men who had been search
ing for him came here He had gone awav the
week before with his gun TO get some game so they
said and, not having returned they had organized
party 10 search for him They had been search
fvp Erra1 a nh
bite TO eat and then set again. I with
them. We climbed the hill, and as we got near
the TOP ran upon the trail Of some large animal
Following ii. we came to a spot where the shrub
berry torn as If struggle between two power
ful animals had taken place there We pulled aside
the leafy branches. There were spots of blood
the leaves. If they had been spattered with it.
and the sharp end of a twig a little piece
OF CLOTH which looked a If it had been out
Of ones garments.
That looks like the cloth Of his coat said
of the Wethersfeld men, he pulled 1t from the
twig. OF course. didn't know whether it was or
not. We searched all the mountain, shouting
man could find The party finally gave up the
to have given the lost man up for dead and started
back for Wethersfeld the next morning This
when they got home and reported that they had
spot which had all the appearance of having. been
the scene of fight with some large animal the
been killed and carried off by bear day or
later he walked into the village street. II
was found that he had not been on the Inounlaia
all shriekS Of the searching party SOUNDED
so Ike lamentations those below that the noun
tain was called Lamentation Mountain.
The interest in the recital manifested by the two
travellers encourage ged the tavern keeper 10 con-
tinue The fire was blazing right merriiy' ana
required no attention from him, so he plunged INTO
another story.
You remember the wooden bridge you crossed
about two miles below here, don't your inquired
he. 81 suppose you know why the brook 1t crosses
is called Harbor Brook? You do not? Or course
you know that two OF the regicides-Gone ana
Whalley-were hidden in New-Haven and MllIord
for long time. until things became too uicoih-
Portable for them and they were obliged 10 lea'e
Milford. They passed up through here Dut weio
closely pursued. The pursuers were only a snoII
distance behind them when they reacheq tho pfoGrs
and they climbed down the bank through liIe
alder bushes under the bridge and hid there- -
was well that they did for in a few moments
the hOrEemen who after them appeared uo"h
the road, ploughing along fast their horses
would them. They did not suspect tnal tHo
men they looking for were so near IIieey
did not slacken their pace when they came 10 lie
bridge, but cattered over. ..
THE dust sifted down upon the men underneath
as the horses hoofs struck the slabs. but they
cld not mind H. nor the almost deafenlng thuiuer
from the horses feet for IL told them where their
pursuers were. The stayed beneath the bridge
until the next morning II was good shelter and
far ahead Of them. The place has been called
Pilgrims Harbor since that time.
II have heard that the men finally got to Had
ley. in Massachusetts, and that they were hidden
there by minister for fifteen sixteen years. In
King Philips War the Indians threatened Hadley
and the Inhabitants became panic stricken. &C
Springfield told me. gray bearded man suddenly
Appeared among the Inhabitants and led them 20