Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 edition. Excerpt: ...which the family moved on its completion in the fall. Mr. Ludden died Oct. '25, 1848. The farm descended to his son Daniel, then to Daniel Jr., and thence to Myron Ludden the present owner. The Missing Hen Coop. Some sixty years ago a man by the name of Richard Mills owned what is now the Joseph Butler place at the foot of Pleasant street. He occupied the old two-story red house, long since torn down, which stood a few rods north of the present dwelling. He was a mason as well as farmer and was frequently employed in the village to relay chimney tops. He had a habit of often calling to his tender in a loud voice for more mortar, which he contracted to ' More mort!' This attracted the attention of boys and young men and they took up the cry so that it soon became a byword, and ended by their calling Mr. Mills "Old Mort." This was not agreeable to him; in fact he was wrathy and threatened to horsewhip all offenders. In addition to this it is said he committed an unjustifiable act at the swimming place of the boys at Moose pond. On his farm south of his house stood a good sized hen coop which one morning was missing. During the night it had been transported on poles in the hands of indignant young men and placed on the common in front of the Jenks tavern. A sign also had been nailed to the building which read, "Hen Market." Some of the tavern boarders were up earlier than usual that summer morning to know the meaning of such vociferous cock crowing notes as came wafted in through open windows. In the dim twilight they discerned the outlines of the coop and in a short time a crowd had gathered to see, hear and discuss the unusual affair. After considerable sport Capt. Jeremiah Grout, a kind-hearted gentleman living opposite...