The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-03-25
BEDDING NEWS OF GENERAL INTEREST
 TO OUR READERS

Bedding, March 25-When passing strangers saw smoke pouring from the many apertures in the siding, the roof and the half plugged windows of Geo. main highway through Pleasant Val ley they frequently obeyed the inn pulse to shout an alarm of fire. At this the neighbors smiled indifferently because they knew the shanty was without chimney and that the dis charge end of Keeler's stovepipe was within the building. Consequently out pouring smoke from all parts of the shanty was the normal state of things almost continuously in winter and around meal times the rest of the year. How human being could live year after year in this creosote laden dicap of an unwholesome diet and a temperature in winter very like that outdoors they could not understand. Long ago they gave up the puzzle and that Keeler had been found dead with out any particular sickness as a pre- iminary. He attended church last Sunday. Early Monday morning he complained to a caller of not feeling we'll The caller told neighbors who upon subsequently, noticing a cessa- ton of the smoke output on the prem ises, inferred that something was wrong and went to the shanty. They found the lifeless body of Keeler on his bed under a deep covering of rag SoQ ana o1rIy DlankGtS. DGSp1Co the self imposed hardships of his existence he had lived to the age of s4. Further more he always seemed contented with his lot and appeared to get as much happiness out of life as the average human being. Dr. Smith, the medical examiner, gave heart failure as the cause of death The contributory causes he did not attempt to specify bue everybody thought they knew.
 Selectmen Banks and Sanford had the body taken in charge by Under taker Bouton. Later a niece of the deceased, Mrs Leffert of Bethel, ar ranged for the funeral. Services were held Wednesday at the Bethel Catholic church and interment was in the old Danbury cemetery.
 The town officials found in the shan ' ty conditions indescribably wretched. Each of the three rooms, none of which had doors in the door openings, a nightmare of litter and rubbish with everything soot covered and black from smoke. In the kitchen smoke and the steam from cooking had form ed black encrustation on the ceiling and in places condensed into pendants. The floor was a succession of ridges. Fragments of food. a long time accu- mutation, were everywhere.
 keeler was an inoffenSive character and in his way industrious. In their seasons he spent most of his time gathering berries and nuts, travelling miles daily in these excursions and us- uaIly taking his wares to Bridgeport or Bethel in a handcart. Sometimes he would go to market in the same man. ner with junk. When he bought eat ableS he always sought those which had seen better days because they were cheaper. For him nothing in the food line became spoiled enough to be re- jected. His parsimonious ways led to the rumor that he had amassed a hoard which he kept secreted in his shanty. This popular belief was strengthened when he told two or oh from the bills being chewed up by rats. With this treasure story in mind the selectmen made as thorough search of the shanty as they had stomach for in view of the unSavory conditions but found total of only s2.60. In addition to his cabin Keeler owned about 20 acres of rough land
 John Todd, the former lime manu- facturer and one of the towns veal thiest and best known residents, has been seriously i'll for several days and on Wednesday there was little expec- cation of his recovery. One day last week he had a seizure at the Bethel depot upon returning from a trip to New York and was found in a dazed condition. Afterwards pneumonia de- veIoped, affecting both lungs. MT. Todd is nearly 80 years of age and re- tired from active business several years ago.
 Alex Watt, Jr, formerly of Bridge port and this town and now of New York, was married in that city on Tuesday to Miss Emma Saunders. The couple arrived here Wednesday for a short stay with Mrs. Henry Sanford in Pleasant Valley. MT. Watt holds a responsible position with Vantine & Co.,, importers of bric-a-brac.
 The suit for s5,000 damages brought by Richard Esrnslie against the Dan bury and Bethel Trolley Co.,, has been settled out of court by the payment of $1,000. The same company has com promised with Mrs. Mary J, Scribner for claim she preferred m conse- quence of slight injuries received in an accident upon the line.
 The contract for laying the pipe which will convey water from s. c.