The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-07-09

MhEsMs After. standing in ominous loneliness for generations on the bleak Romney marsh in Revere the ancient Newdi- gate-Yeaman house is in the hands of the destroyers, and in few days its historic old oak timbers, it's wide pine panels, it's walls that have known the revelries or sorrows of those who while they were born there were subjects of the King. the meeting of patriots, and that have trembled with the impact of British guns will be reduced to a heap of firewood.
 One of the oldest buildings in America there Is yet singular absence of historical legend or story that be- longs to it, although what is known is known surely, and does not live with no greater foundations than its exist ence in local folklore. But from the loneliness of it's location It's general air of having seen life go by and of having been left deserted, of having absorbed into itself all the som- Der influences to which it has been sub jected, an atmosphere has clung to it like unto that which Edgar Allan Poe imagined the House of Usher to possess
 "a tangible element of gloom seemed to. possess 1t.
 Tn few of the many books on the old houses and homes of Massachusetts is there more than passing mention of the place, and now, with no monu- rnent In words, 1t will be speedy for gotten, even though the flavor of the. vegetables that will be grown on the ground that It's ruins now occupy are excellent in the extreme.
 Until a few months ago the house had occupants, but it has been slowly fall- ing to unheeded decay for many year, and it's present owners at length decid-- ed that its rooms was more valuable than it's existence.
 The location of the Newdigate house was on the very fine lot of land at the junction of Mill street and the new Re- were Beach parkway, and by the con struction of the latter thoroughfare the property has greatly increased in value. It's assessors have it down for s6,O0o, but the intrinsic value of the old house. has stood at a nominal $100.
 The house has been landmark ever since the days when Boston was small town. It was built in 1880 by Nathaniel Newdigate or NeWgate, whose grant of 400 acres for farm from the King in- cluded all the land of Mill creek. back as far as where the town hall now stands and including the Highland dis trict. Afterward the house was occu- pied by the Schrimpton and Yeaman families.
 Much interest is attached to the fact of it's proximity to Chelsea. creek, the scene of the second battle of the Revo- Iution. It was an old house then, and was fired upon by the English vessels in the creek. Bullets and cannon balls have been found in the onion beds all about the building.
 There is a legend, too, that certain sprightly damsel a Dorothy Newdigate, was one of those whom John Hancock had in mind when he condemned the courageous flirting of certain young women with British officers But the jaunty redcoats were fascinating to some of the girds, tired of more somber Colonial garb, and there were merry lit tie meetings, it is said between Dorothy and few of her friends and some of the young Britishers.
 They gathered after nightfall, and though the Newdigate house was os- tensibly fired upon by day, it was never greatly damaged and the gallant Britishers took care that most of the balls fell about in the marsh or gar den.
 But though the young women occu- pied the attention of the young soldiers, they did so with no idea of betrayal of the Americans. At that early period of the strife they did not realize how serious the struggle was to.~be and it was just such young women who threw nosegays from their balconies in city streets who made the Molly Pitchers and the Kitty Greys afterward, when conflicts grey stern and bitter.
 It was a rather late homecoming member of Dorothy's family, it is said who browe up a little meeting between two or three girls and as many Eng lishmen near the old house. And they say he was sturdy lad, too, and soiled dainty crimson coat or two with Romney marsh mud.
 At any rate, Dorothy was borne, weeping, home. and she, as well as her girl companions, were given a stint of spinning that kept their pretty heads out of mischief for a little time, at least.
 But whether Dorothy went overseas with an Englishman or remained at home and married an American legend does not say. But the later is probably the case. for most of the girls who turned British hearts came off unscath- ed themselves, married in America and raised large families of patriots.
 During the entire PA years in which It has marked the spot the house has remained in the possession of the origi- nal owners the last being Joseph H. Thayer; it was last occupied by George W Howard, who in February moved to North Carolina a
 Hezekiah Butterworth was so im- pressed with the ghostly atmosphere of the place that he wrote a story of it from one of it's legends. .
 It seems that two travellers slept in the house and heard taping all through the night in one of the rooms knocking as if some one were confined and were striving to escape. The trav-
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