Putnam patriot., 1930-10-16

Native stone was used in the con- struction of the huge chimney the base of which can he measured by the yard. No mortar or cement IS seen here but the bricks which make a part of an interior cellar wall of the storage room show that the bricks which make a part of an in- terior cellar wall of the storage room show that the house k larger than it was originally.
 Quite likely the bricks were of British manufacture as such were brought over as ballast in those early days. The old chimney has witch like openings in the walls, said to. have been made to facilitate the escape from the prison-like place of eoncealment into which a frenzied inhabitant might have crawled. from the secret opening in the chimney in the room above, for refuge when persued by Indians, however it was GU stomary in the long ago to keep a wisp of the Sacred Medicinal herbs over the entrance to the house as sort of amulet Co ward of the ln- dians' attacks.
 The Hearth Stone
 The foundation for these heavy chimneys had to be constructed care fully and solidly with a projection far enough below each floor to allow the broard hearth stone to lie even with the floor. These were large fiagstones and when possible were of one piece. thus protecting the huge open wood fire from coming in con- tact with the wooden frame of the building. It became heated during the day and threw out this warmth far into the night Some few small fire places had hearths of brick well laid in mortar.
 In the rambling cellar besides the stone chimney may be seen the cold storage room--almost a house in it- self. having old time split clapboards, time seasoned timbers hewed. and strong iron hand-wrought nails that were wear evers.
 While no oak tree is much in evil dence certainly there were many m that wilderness some of which re- main today to bring back another superstition of ages ago when aeorns were carried to preserve the wearer from imps. witches and ghosts of which we have had an account in the Celebrated Ghost Story of Thomp- son as we'll as "0ld Mother Young love" and Mary Utter. The custom of having silken aeorns dangling from the handle of a parasolette or umbrel harks back to the days Of soreery and witchery and greater ae- tivity of His Satanic Majesty. A singular or more singular horseshoe to ward off the witches is hung over the doors as of old and the Holy Lords protection eraved in the II and l. hinges.
 English Glass
 In the upper story we see as We come along the good country road the attic windows-small four pan ed English glass-across the road from the house you see the barn and sheds but to return to the house the attic is we'll supplied with closet room for preserves and the open at tic is festooned with corn--but the festoons of grapes, dried apples, pumpkins, sacred and medicinal herbs are missing. Enter the smoothly plastered room finished in cedar with door of the same wood in rather unusual design and roof cell ing rounded from top to side instead of an angle. As you go beyond this room to the open attic again notice the wide roof boards--no filling in to be needed when the new fashion- ed shingles will be falkland these .sls kaFs4L 4a4 q plenty. Our forefathers built well. There are few more interesting old houses little walk out from the centre of Putnam that will bring back "reminiscences of yesteryears-
 More venerable houses stood in this locality that might have been saved had they received the upkeep that all houses need from time to time.
 Picture a room where pine and boughs were hung on the rough hewn rafters on the happy old walls of either this house or. an earlier one in this vicinity in q cold New Eng land winter where the scene of this story is laid. It may not be entirely new but is said to be true-but left as is often in story to be finished by you. In the kitchen We see little group of children-when suddenly a boys hand pointed-"See! See, There's a face at the window pane" Ghastly terror instantly spread over the features of the mother who was alone with her family. but she arose and opened the fast barred door. The night was inky dark with the blind ing snow and as the door was open ed a bit. a gust of wind blew out the one candle but the sparkling logs in the fireplace illuminated the room so that she beheld the weatherbeaten face of an Indian, who strode into the room unbidden. Such buster ing night no one with q touch of humanity could refuse shelter to any wayfarer. But she asked, "Who are your" Do you come for food and rest or what?" Straightway without word the redman strode past the frightened children to the blazing hearthstone and took from his back bundle. Undoing the pile of sheep skins he placed a small child there for warmth. With 6 kindly look he addressed the mother-and a tender pat of the child as he warmed his fingers by the fire, he said as he pointed. q want him to be like them Take him--my squaw gone-gone 10 the Good Spirit want him like them. Take him. Oh take him and