USA > New Jersey > Camden County > Merchantville > History of Merchantville, Camden County, N.J > Part 4
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"Oh! yes, old Sam Spicer's sperritt! (Now don't break into me.) Sam went off sottin' one stormy night, nigh unto Christ- mas, in his old arm cheer, a-front of a roarin' kitchin fire, with his long clay pipe an' a mug of ale on his table, his old gun in a corner, an' his alminics hangin' on the wall.
"Well, they give him a decent buryin', but lo! an' behold! the next mornin' in comes Sam, an' sotted hisself in his old arm cheer. An' it didn't matter, day nor night, thar sot Sam. (None- of your botherin' to mix me up.) No, neighbor, it waren't Sam hisself; it war' his ghost! Well, there he sot, an' he sot, an' he sot.
"He didn't bother nobody; it 'pears he was ginerilly in good humor, watchin" ev'rything goin' on. He never got mad, 'cept some fool would touch his gun or rumple his lot of alminicks. Then he would git red in his face and stamp his foot. (No, ninny, he didn't make no noise.) Then once in a while he tuk from his s-h-r-o-u-d his 1-o-n-g c-1-a-y p-i-p-e a-n' 1-i-t i-t. (Now don't bother me.) How kin I tell how he got it on fire? I only hearn that it was rale fire, an' the smoke smelt like y-a-1-1-e-r b-r-i-m- s-t-o-n-e.
"Howsomever, so many folks come in to see him that the floor 'gin to git thin. They 'lowed he was gittin' to be a disgrace."
* Foundation furnished by Thomas S. Rudderow.
(The grandfather evidently meant a nuisance.) "So what to do to git his sperritt to rest?
"Well, after a heap of trouble, they got three yarb doctors. They argued with him, an' tole him if he would stay away fer a hundred years, they would put him at the bottom of a nice dry well on Josiah Wilson's ground, and kiver the top over with lumber, so as rain nor snow wouldn't bother him. (Now, how do I know if he talked like us? Mebbe it was g-h-o-s-t talk.) But, howsomever, they got him down there. All the folks 'magined he was laid to rest, but lo! an' behold! inside two days in comes Sam an sots right down in that big arm cheer agin ; an' he. sot, an' he sot, an' he sot.
"Well, the 'soothers' was agin called; they was mad, an' tole Sam' he lied! He made them understan' he didn't like the dry well; he wanted to go somewheres in the nice cool water, where he could see something lively-like aroun' him.
"Arter a spell of coaxin' they put his sperritt down softly at the bottom of Cooper's Creek. The old cheer was burnt up, an' Sam never darted them doors again. But my father used to say that when anybody went up Cooper's Creek at night and seed s-o-m'- t-h-i-n' w-h-i-t-e i-n a w-i-n-d-i-n' s-h-e-e-t jump up a-front of the boat they knowed it was old Sam Spicer's sperritt trubblin' the water."
THE UNHINGED BARBER .*
"It was many and many a year ago," long before our borough barbers were born, that an old white-haired Irishman lived in an unpainted shanty somewhere near us on our pike. In addition to eking out a scanty living at cobbling he kept an oddly-arranged barber shop in the front.
He was fearfully eccentric. One of his oddities was the loquac- ity usually ascribed to barbers, besides an uncontrollable desire for gathering news about horse racing. In fact, he stopped all passers-by (going or coming), asking them for the latest news from "the turf." Was he unsuccessful, then he would manufac- ture nonsense from his own brain and pour it out with much gusto and volubility to every neighbor and customer.
One day "George," the son of a prosperous farmer near Moorestown, visited his place (for the first time) to be shaved. Now, though "George" was somewhat of a "sport," yet he did not possess that kind of courage which characterizes the "Dew- eys" and "Hobsons" of to-day.
However, being pleasantly received, he submitted to the usual napkin and lathering with bad-smelling soap, and while the old man was giving his razor some generous manipulations on the long black strop he said to "George," "Be you over in town the day?" "No!" came from "George;" "not to-day, but yesterday." "Ah! yesterday; then belikes you seen the big horse race, where Bill Butts' black Mare, 'Trullano,' won?" "You are mistaken. sir: Sam Hustin's chestnut horse, 'Layout,' won the day!" "What?" exclaimed the old man, now resting his left hand on "George's" head and holding aloof a gleaming razor in the other, his eyes staring and face in rage. (Of course, my readers must understand the old man spoke a pure Irish brogue, which I can- not master.)
"What?" he now thundered into "George's" ear. "Trullano
* Foundation furnished by Benjamin Forrest.
didn't win? Didn't put her nose over the gate, after doing her pretty mile in 2.37? Didn't leave ten horses a half mile back of her heels? Owner didn't get two hundred thousand dollars? Mebbe you'd say there weren't a million people there?"
Well, to put the matter mildly, "George" wilted, what! at the mercy of a lunatic with a razor at his very throat! But he was equal to the emergency. Instantly (though trembling inwardly) he blurted out, "Certainly! that neat, that purty jewel Trullano won! Really I was thinking about another race. Oh. I'll tell you all about it. Don't I wish you'd bin along. Why, if I knowed you was fond of races, by gosh! I would of taken you down there myself. I'd a vittled you, drinked you and smoked you, and the hull thing wouldn't have cost you one derned cent. Why, let me tell you! It's just as you say, Billy Butts' little slick mnare Trullano's the purtyest piece of horseflesh that ever pranced a race track! She can throw dust from her hind legs into the nose of any four-footer in this United States.
"Don't I wish I had taken you along. I'd a-fed you, drunk you and smoked you, and it wouldn't ha' cost you a derned cop- per for the hull thing! Why! she made her mile in two ten and three-quarters; the other hosses didn't come in for two minutes afterwards! They give her owner four hundred thousand dollars and her little jockey, Tommy Burke, a big solid gold pitcher.
"Why, when her nose touched the gate you could hear the yells for five miles. Why! there was over three million sports there." Seeing the effect of his words, he continued, "Now, I'll tell you something; she's goin' to run agin on Monday. If you will only say 'yes' I'll take you down! I'll put you clean in, vittel you, smoke you and drink you, and the rull thing won't cost you one derned cent."
Of course, the old man was delighted, fairly danced with joy. The beard was soon removed. The heart of George leaped with joy when he saw that razor closed.
"Have a bit of bay rum on yer face?"
"Never mind that or brushing my hair; I hear my horse kick- ing up the sand outside, and that means I want to go."
The old man's eyes now danced with frenzied joy, and he cried out :
"Won't we have a jolly old time? Egad! fed, drinked and smoked and not a cent to pay."
"George" stepped out as if in a hurry, unhitched his horse, and, whip in hand, looked in the open door. There sat the old one chuckling to himself. "George" yelled out to him:
"You old white-haired liar, Layout won the race, time 3.15; her owner got forty-one dollars, and there was only a hundred and sixty-seven people there."
Jumping in and lashing his horse, he was soon in the distance. It is perhaps needless to add the old man's mind was really de- ranged. In fact, he died in a lunatic asylum shortly afterwards. But what a luckey escape for "George!"
A VISION .*
I was ill, "sick unto death." I stood alone within a vast unfin- ished edifice. I knew not were it a Christian church or Jewish synagogue; yet certain evidences convinced me it was a temple reared to the true and living God. Many signs of unwrought work lay strewn around-carved and uncarved blocks of marble,. pilasters, cornices. Three finished columns of white, graceful in outlines, majestic in proportions, caught my eyes. They were ornamented by chapiters of Corinthian, Ionic and Doric. The floor was laid in marble squares, white and black alternately, known as Mosaic.
There was no covering, no ceiling-the pallid moon and silent stars alone shone down on an altar surrounded by three dimly burning tapers.
Then came strains of unearthly music, grandly beautiful, but oh! so sorrowful, so majestically solemn, breathing a wealth of woe, of lamentation. From an obscure quarter came a woman in black, of pale face and raven hair. She approached the altar, when suddenly went out the dimmed tapers. She sang in unison with that outburst of bewailment. The refrain of her song, "Oh God how sinful is man," overpowered me. I fell.
But what a glorious transformation! Shall I stop right here, or feebly attempt description?
A round halo of light came down, surrounding the altar and dispersing the gloom from every nook and corner. Even the be- fore dimly burning tapers now gave out mystic flashes, seemingly dancing in joy.
A being in the glorious form of womanhood came in some way, kneeling at the altar. A white-winged dove came down and fluttered there, then rested upon her bosom. She was in white, of golden hair, eyes of blue and cheeks laden with health and joy-
This is absolutely truthful. I myself experienced it. No poor words of mine, however, can even feebly depict its actual granduer and glory.
ousness. Upwards she turned those eyes, and from her pearly mouth issued a glorious hymn of thanksgiving!
A burst of angel song of which the Diety was choir-master.
Oh! Being from the inner chamber of the Holy of Holies! Personification of angel. "Israel," "whose heart string are a lute, and who has the sweetest voice of all God's creatures." }
* *
I can go no further; I trod upon the borders of the God-land! My pen drops from my nerveless fingers. I can give only the mere words of that ravishing refrain, "THANKS BE TO THE LORD GOD JEHOVAH! WHO CREATES AND WHO SAVES."
I turned and met at my bedside the kindly eyes and extended hand of good Dr. Bartine, who exclaimed, "The crisis is past; you are out of danger."
There will be some who may doubt its truthfulness. Be it so. Yet ofttimes, in the quiet hours of night, in my chamber, dark- ened save by the silent stars, I still see that upturned face, that flowing golden hair, those eyes of blue, and even my ear can catch that glorious anthem, "Thanks be to the Lord God Jehovah, who creates and who SAVES."
+ Edgar Allen Poe.
A CLOSING THOUGHT.
I present the following-not because it is in any way connected with the history of our town-but that it occurred to me in the course of this work. Without egotism, I claim it is entirely original-the re- sult of musings under the shade of my own quiet porch.
I feel that it will prove of incalculable benefit-especially to our up-growing youth. It is this :
That from Creations' dawn until the present moment-there has never been a structure reared by man-whether a human habitation, pyramid, tower, dome or citadel-without the original aid of a single grain of barley !
And is thus explained ; such is God's unerring accuracy, that the ancients finding every individual grain of barley so undeviating in length- undeviatingly to the width of a single hair-that plucking them and placing three lengthwise, they formed an inch-the only basis of uni- versal measurement.
. This was indeed a crude measure, but one easily comprehended by every one of the millions of toiling slaves who reared the awful pyramids. This barley corn was of uniform size throughout the then known world.
And even to-day-adown the corridors of centuries-beneath the very shadows of those awe-inspiring pyramids-the barley stalk still throws upon the desert air her generous seeds-three of which measure a perfect inch.
Who but an imbecile dare, from this fact alone, doubt the existence of a Creator, wise, good and of unspeakable accuracy ?
So may this modest little book, (based upon accuracy), continue to uprear its head and be appreciated by the thoughtful, long after the trembling hand that writes it has gone
"To mix forever with the elements, To be a brother to the insensible rock
And the sluggish clod, which the rude swain
'Turns with his share, and treads upon." -Bryant.
MERCHANTVILLE BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
(Only Such as Are Actually Engaged Here.)
Bakery and Candy Stores-William Kohler, George T. Richard- son.
Barbers and Hair Dressers-William G. Knehr, John H. Krantz. Boots, Shoes and Gents' Furnishings-Walter H. Eastlack.
Builders and Carpenters-Joseph M. Morgan, Charles E. Castle, William Marsden.
Coal-Marion Knight, Collins & Pancoast.
Commissioner of Deeds-William Longstreth.
Dressmakers-Mrs. Fanny Hewitt, Mrs. Amos Blake, Mrs. Park- er Lewis, Miss Jennie Bailey, Miss Lizzie Eastlack, Miss Edith Millingar.
Drug Stores-Dr. Charles H. Jennings, J. W. Kohlerman.
Dry Goods and Notions-Samuel Lewis.
Eating Saloon-Frank Vergason.
Florists-John Tully, Henry Millingar, H de Snyder.
Flour, Feed, Hay, etc .- B. M. Beideman.
Fruits -- Charles H. Pidgeon.
Gas and Electricity-Merchantville Light, Heat and Power Co.
Groceries-C. C. Dickey, Ellis Parker, H. H. Brown, Cramer Bros.
Harness, Whips, etc .- William G. Wetzel.
Hardware, Lumber, Builders' Supplies, etc .- Collins & Pancoast.
Horse Shoers-A. W. Haney, Geo. E. Lewis, G. C. Mick. Hotel (Stockton House)-William W. Pancoast.
Ice Cream Parlors-Arthur E. Craig, William Kohler. Justices of the Peace-William Longstreth, J. B. Wilson. Laundry (Chinese)-Fing Fong.
Lawyers-Hon. Charles G. Garrison, Hon. Howard Carrow, William Early, F. A. Rex and Judge C. D. V. Joline. Livery Stables and Service-William W. Pancoast, John Thomas. Meat Stores-Fred Seeger, Ellis Parker, William Macfarlan. Ministers of the Gospel-Revs. J. B. Haines, Richard George
Moses, N. W. Simmonds, I. Mench Chambers, C. Bridgeman. Music Teacher-David Frye.
Newspapers-"Merchantville Review," "Merchantville Press." Nurse (monthly)-Mrs. Hannah Polk.
Oysters, Fish, etc .- Charles H. Pidgeon.
Painters (Fresco)-August Heulinger, H. T. Fox.
Painters (House)-Harry S. Matthews, Conrad Krantz. Paperhanger-E. T. Johnson.
Physicians-Dr. David H. Bartine, Dr. Charles H. Jennings. Dr. J. W. Marcy, Dr. William H. Armstrong, Dr. Joseph D. Law- rence.
Plasterer-William A. Boyd.
Plumbers and Gas Fitters-George W. Algor, J. Reid & Co. Public Coach-Harry Whitlock.
Real Estate Agents-William Longstreth, R. B. Knight, J. B. Wilson, Arthur E. Craig, Harry Schmidt.
Shoemakers-Adam Yeakel, James Linahan.
Stationery Store-George T. Richardson.
Tailor Store-Theodore Meyer.
Tinsmiths and Roofers-George A. Fisher, George Meiler. Undertaker-John Crawford.
Upholsterer-Richard E. Neumann. Veterinary Surgeon-Harry B. Cox. Water Service-Merchantville Water Company. Wheelwright and Carriage Builder -- Gottlieb C. Mick. Violinist-Atwood P. Eastlack.
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