Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-04

Wayside Inn, immortalzed by
Henry Wadsworth Longfelow In a
group OF poems familiar to most
- Americans, and he Is none other
fGWME4ll than Henry Ford millionaire maker
InNA5kN u OF automobiles The Wayside Inn
I6xF7 has stood near South Sudbury,
Nv TN X Mass, for more than two hundred
G,a-A:aJJ years. Curousy enough the Way
side Inn was not It's original name
at all That 1.-THE originated In 1926 when the
poet, bound from his home In Cambridge to
Albany, N. Y, stopped by the wayside during
change OF coach horses at the Red Horse tavern
and 1t SO pleased his fancy that he later com
memorated It In his "Tale OF Wayside Inn
The Red Horse tavern was built In 1856 By
David Howe. Three other Howes were successive
keepers Of the tavern, their combined service as
Amne host" totalling TIA years. Lyman Howe
was the host at the time OF Longfellow's visit
and Il was into his mouth that LOngfellow put
the words Of the poem which begins, listen, my
children, and yoC shall hear of the midnight ride
OF Paul Revere"
In 1860 the last OF the Howes died and the
tavern furnishings were sold At auction Owner
ship OF the place passed through various hands,
but 1t continued an inn down to the present
century. How 1t came into the possession OF
Henry Ford wa5 told recently by Mrs Ford her
SELF Speaking before the Womans National Farm
and Garden association, of which she is president
y Aouu'i ouhpufy, AIb h0Td gave the inside
story as follows
Many funny stories have gone around about our
Intentions so am going to tell that least
this group will hear the real truth
Well, think we have owned 1t about I'VE years
perhaps Blk Mr. and Mrs Lemon owned II and ran
,a - a. INN until Mr. Lemon died Mrs. Lemon car
Tieo II on about five years. Then she thought she
would sell II and take little ease
New Englanders had great interest In coming
to the place and they dsliked the Idea OF its being
mi thn h,SA -
one who would cheat them out OF the privilege OF
visiting It. When an association formed by many
Boston people with the intention OF raising money
to buy IT, unsuccessful and man offered 10
give Mrs Lemon her price, Mr.. Ford was ap-
preached He told about the man who intended
to add so bedrooms and turn It into i common
ordinary roadhouse and take In everybody and ali
kinds &+H sa5sa
Well, some one, don't know who 1t was, said 4
that was going to happen. Mr. Ford said wen
buy It and save It," That seemed an easy thing to
do, buy 1t and save 1t. After we realized we owned
IT we said. What will do with it?" we didn't
know one thing about running inn or hotel OF
any Kind We thought, We won't removals. IT.
Well keep II In perfect order and keep II a.
museum"
:. Then we began getting letters from these nice
New England people who came to 1T so often
writing. 20, Mr.. Ford. I've always been able to
ride out to Wayside inn and have luncheon or din
ner.'
Mr. Ford is rather easygoine no he ra,a .p4.,,
continue that. That cooks and managers all
sorts Of people to be here and run IT. We were
away In Michigan and when people are many miles
away II Is hard to tell whether the people car.
rying TX should like TO have them Rut
as long people wanted 1t, we did 1t.
We did think we wouldn't have anybody stay
over night, and we should keep all the rooms az
show rooms, but we got the story when New
England people heard that.
20. we want to stay over night" and 80 we did
that Or course we do have these restrictions we
don't lake everybody Everybody has to be known
by some one or have invitation because there
are only four bedrooms the second floor and two
on the third floor. not very denfrabfe because fin
the summer II ia hot up there We JUST had 10 limit
we Lnnu
will not bring hip flask or anything IKE -