Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1909-05-07
[Copyright. 1893. BY q. q. q Mcclure

downright, 1903. by T.. c. McClurel
One June day tin peddler came
alone to the farmhouse of Joe Pinchly
and halted for a drink of water. He
didn't stop because he had any idea
that he could sell as much as nutmeg
crater. The house was frame, un-
painted, weather beaten and gloomy,
while the barn and sheds were Of logs,
the fences gone to decay, the fields
grown up to weeds, and the whole out
fit spoke Of poverty and shiftlessness.
Years before the house had been built
for roadside inn, but travel had been
diverted to another road, and it's own
er had abandoned the place. Shiftless
Joe Pinchly had come along with his
slatternly wife and "squatted' there
and raised just enough corn and tur-
nips to keep going. They were sitting
peddler drove up.
If you had any gumption about you,
you could make $1,000 out Of this
place this summer" he said.
1--WE broke my back here for four
years and almost starved to death" re-
piled joe ~
But you lack gumption, you see.
Gumption means knowing how to let
up on farming and take hold Of some
thing better when it's right at your
door. Lord, man, but what chance
you have missed!'
"I've allus told Joe there was money
I buried somewhere around here" OBJ
served Mrs. Pinchly as she removed
her pipe from her mouth.
Buried money be banged! It's right
on top Of the ground. It's right before
your eyes. It's in the house. It's ~
ing around loose and waiting to be
picked up. If you'd had gumption
you'd be riding in your own carriage
today. You didn't have it. You had
to wait until came along to show
you where the money Isl
"And you'll show us!' exclaimed
husband and wife in chorus as they
rose up and looked around.
i Il -
to look this old house over. l want to
see every room in it. Then l want to
have a square talk with you. You are
sick of staying here, and am sick Of
tin peddling-not but what it's a noble
profession, but it doesn't furnish the
opportunities for hustling man.
There was a talk lasting for two
hours. The peddler drew up a paper,
and the three signed it. When he de-
parted Joe Pinchly and wife were feel
ing quite balmy. They hadn't found
any money, but they were nOdding
their heads at each other and grinning
There was a village five miles to the
east Of them and another six miles to
the west, and in both of them weekly
newspapers were published. Before
night next day the peddler had inter-
viewed the editors. The editors had
hair raising story of a haunted house.
There were score Of other papers in
the county. The peddler didn't stop
until he had called upon half of them.
He also stopped travellers on the high
way and talked, and he talked to PEG.
pie in villages, and inside Of two weeks
10000 people had heard the news that
Joe Pinchly's old farmhouse was
haunted. The reports were awesome
and grewsome and hair raising.
People are never satisfied to simply
talk about haunted house if within
reaching distance Of it. The peddler
had provided for their coming. He had
sunk his cash capital in buying pro-
visions. When the rush set in he was
there to welcome it, All Pinchly and
heads and look mysterious and sell
pies and sandwiches to hungry sight
seers. Boiled eggs and hot tea and COT
fee could also be had at price. There
were twenty different rooms and a eel
lar and garnet to the old house, and
the charge for taking visitor through
them all was 30 cents They were tax.
en- in groups of six at time. If they
merely desired to see the family bed
room, where score Of mysterious
noises had been heard at night, togeth-
er with the room where the peddler
had been hauled out of bed by ghost,
it was only Is cents. The night noises,
as the peddler stated and the Pinchlys
affirmed by mods of the head, consist
ed of groans, signs, footballs, tappings.
whisperings and a large and we'll Sc
lected stock Of other hair raisers. T.
In one week 200 people came in wag-
ons. Some brought their food, and
some bought it. They camped about
the house and paid their money to be
conducted over it and then drove away
to send others. During the second
week they began to come by rail and
were driven over from the village. The
fare was 81 each. The peddler had
seen to that; also to his divvy. Some
Of those who wished to remain all
night and watch the outside of the
house paid quarter apiece for bed
on the hay in the barn and bought sup
~sok>< 4