Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-04-14
For Cash Down.

crater. The house was a 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.
at spoke Of poverty and shiftlessness
Years before the house had been built
for roadside inn. but travel had been
diverted to another road, and its 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
on the rotting veranda smoking as the
peddler drove up.
'If you had any gumption about you,
you could make $1,000 out of this
place this summer" he said.
eve 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 mlssedr'
1--WE allus told Joe there was money
buried somewhere around here" OBJ
served Mrs. Pinchly as she removed
her pipe from her mouth.
Buried money be hangedl It's right
on top Of the ground. It's right before
your eyes. It's in the house. It's ly-
ing around loose and waiting to be
picked up. II you'd had gumption
you'd be riding in your own carriage
today. You didn't have it. You had
to wait until l came along to show
you where the money is"
"And you'll show usP' exclaimed
husband and wife in chorus as they
rose up and looked around.
That's to be seen. First l want
to look this old house over. went to
see every room in it. Then | want to
have square talk with you. You are
sick Of staying here, and am sick Of
tin peddling-not but what it's q noble
profession, but 1t doesn't furnish the
for hustling man."
AuGkS was a Tain lhblAhB AOE LWO
hours. The peddler drew up a paper,
and the three signed 1t. 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 grinnlng.
There was a village Ave miles to the
east Of them and another six miles to
the west, and in both of them weekly
were published. Before
night next day the peddler had inter
viewed the editors. The editors had
a hair raising story Of a haunted house.
There were a 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 peo-
pie in villages, and inside Of two weeks
10000 people had heard the news that
Joe Pinchly's old farmhouse was
The reports were awesome
and grewsome and hair raising
People are never satisfied to simply
talk about haunted house If within
distance Of 1t. 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
his wife had to do was to shake their
heads and look mysterious and sell
pies and sandwiches to hungry sight
leers, Boiled eggs and hot tea and cof-
Zee could also be had at a price. There
we're twenty different rooms and a eel
ar and garnet to the old house, and
he charge for taking a visitor through
hem all was 80 cents. They were tax
IN In groups Of six at time. II they
merely desired to see the family bed
Dom, where a score Of mysterious
loises had been heard at night. togeth-
'r with the room where the peddler I
lad been hauled out Of bed by a ghost, +
I was only % cents. The night noises, !
Is the peddler stated and the Pinchlys !
affirmed by mods of the head, consist
ID Of groans, slghs, footballs, tappings,
and large and well Sc
ected stock Of other hair raisers.
In one week 200 people came In wag-
ms. Some brought their food. and i
Iome bought It. They camped about
he house and paid their money to be !
over It and then drove away
o send others. During the second |
week they began to come by rail and /
we're driven over from the village. The /
are was 81 each. The peddler had !
cen to that; also to his dlYvy. Some 4
4 those who wished to remain all 4
light and watch the outside Of the
Iouse paid a quarter apiece for a bed
n the hay In the barn and bought sup
'er and breakfast. Those who wished
o pass the night in rooms In groups Of
hree sat on the floor in the darkness
nd paid 90 cents apiece for the priv.
ege. They heard ghostly noises and
ot their moneys worth. Next morn.
ne they paid whooping big price foI
oiled eggs. coffee and sandwiches.
IL Is 4 matter OF fact and history
hat the excitement was maintained
Or a long eight weeks and that scores
{ people came at least hundred miles
, see for themselves. Then there was