A Mythical Visit with the Heroes and Villains on Historic Potomac Street In Brunswick, Maryland

By Count Vasily Braunsweig

On the very East end of the business section of Potomac Street stands Headquarters Barber Shop. Legend has it that many years ago it was the headquarters of Two-bit Sally, the only woman barge captain on the C&O. She was known on the canal as the most hardheaded, stubborn and argumentative woman anywhere up and down the length of the canal. She was known to sing some rather bawdy tunes when she tied up her barge for the night and could keep those barge workers happy for hours. She had gotten her stranger name from her lead mule Two-bit, the fastest, strongest and most intelligent mule on the C&O. She had paid two bits for the mule and considered it quite a bargain. Her barge was named the Two-Bit, Too. Sally considered her nickname quite an honor with such a noble animal as her mule, Two-Bit. Sally was not what you would call a refined lady, but she was certainly some woman. She could out-whittle, out-fiddle and out-arm wrestle any man on the C&O. She and Two-Bit had taken first prize at every fair in the area for log pulling and bog racing. Sally was mighty proud of that mule.

During the great storms in the summer of 1889 the town was completely cut off from the outside world. All the wagon tracks had washed out and there was no road access in or out. Sally had been stranded down in Georgetown and learned from the last rider out that there was an Asiatic Cholera epidemic raging back in Berlin, and no medical supplies were available. The only medicine was located in Washington, D.C. but getting it and hauling it back would be very dangerous. All the men were asked to haul the supplies and medicine, but none were bold enough to take the chance. Sally loaded up the provisions then hitched Two-Bit and her team to the barge. She gave the cry of “Ya-Ho-Two-Bit” and they started up the Canal. The water was nearly overflowing the canal banks and the mules were bogging down in the mud, but on they came. Above the noise of the wind and thunder could be heard the call “Ya-Ho, Two-Bit“. Trees were down across the towpath so time and again Sally would get off the barge and cut them away. After two days and two nights of travel she finally made it in to town.

People there were astonished to see her, and began to cheer. They helped her unload the supplies and medicine. As Sally was going back for the last box, a bolt of lighting came down from the sky and struck a large tree along the canal bank. The tree split in half and crushed Sally, cutting her heroic life short. Berlin was saved, but Sally was lost.

If on some quiet summer day you are heading down Potomac Street and a cloud suddenly covers the sun, and a brisk wind blows out of the west—listen very carefully and you may hear the cry “Ya-Ho, Two-Bit” coming from the direction of the towpath.

Next door to Headquarters on Potomac Street where now stands Antiques & N'Ole Stuff, was once the trading post of the first Stuffy Simmons. Colonel Stuffy was a great frontiersman, adventurer, hunter and trapper. His trade was mainly with the Indians living here and some of the frontiersmen who visited the area. This was long before Brunswick was named (1890) or even before it was called Berlin. Traders would arrive by boat on the Potomac River and walk up to the post. Col. Stuffy was fearless and the bear teeth hanging around his neck were rumored to have been taken in hand-to-paw combat with an eight-foot tall grizzly. Col. Stuffy was in love with a beautiful Indian maiden named Water Lily Bloom. No one else but the Colonel had ever seen Water Lily Bloom. In the evening at sundown the Colonel would go down to the Potomac River’s edge, cast a stone in the river and Water Lily Bloom would appear out of the river in the twilight. She would sing beautiful love songs and dance with the grace of a deer while the Colonel accompanied her on his flute.

Col. Stuffy and Water Lily Bloom continued to meet for some time. He finally worked up his nerve to ask Water Lily Bloom to become his wife. Sadly, she told him she could never be his—she must live in the waters of the Potomac and he would never be able to come live with her there.

After parting from Water Lily Bloom, the Colonel took a long trip into the wilderness. He was heart broken so he thought nothing of taking on a mountain lion with just his knife, or climbing to the top of a mountain in pursuit of a mountain goat. After several months of reckless, dangerous adventures the Colonel returned to his home.

One beautiful spring evening the Colonel went down to the banks of the Potomac and cast a stone into the water. Water Lily Bloom appeared and the Colonel begged her to let him follow her to her home. She explained that once he entered her world he could never return. Col. Stuffy said he did not care, took her hand and they walked into the water together. He was never seen again.

Stroll down Potomac Street some spring evening...you may hear the faint singing of an Indian maiden and the mellow notes of a flute, and realize that the Colonel has never really left his trading post.

Years ago in the very spot where Book Crossing now stands lived a lovely young lady named Annabelle Booker. Miss Booker so loved to read! She would spend countless hours reading one book after another. Her parents very much disapproved of this habit and thought that a young lady did not need to read to get a husband. She should learn to sew, cook, bake and keep house. The parents, of course, had the perfect husband in mind for dear Annabelle—Mr. Dudley Westminster. He was the town parson and at the age of 42 had been left a widow. Annabelle at the age of seventeen was not very delighted with this choice.

Miss Booker did not want to marry Mr. Westminster or anyone else. Her dream was to leave town and go on an adventure in the world, traveling to the many places she had read about in her books. A lack of money made her dream impossible to obtain.

On a fine summer afternoon a Mr. Harlan Bennington came to town for the first time. Mr. Bennington was a young man who had traveled the world. He would work on a steamer to obtain passage to South America, or toil on the railroad to earn train fare to see wonderful parts of this country. It was during the railroad phase of his travels when he arrived in town.

While walking along the bank of the Potomac River he came upon Miss Booker sitting under a tree reading a novel about far away places. It was love at first sight for Mr. Bennington. He stopped and asked Annabelle what she was reading and she showed him a book about the Arabian nights (which just happened to be one of his own favorites). The two young people spent the rest of the afternoon discussing books and far-away places.

For several weeks Annabelle and Mr. Bennington would meet under the branches of the giant tree on the banks of the Potomac River. Their discussions were always about travel and great literature. They told of books they both had read and spoke of places they dreamed of visiting. Mr. Bennington shared his many adventure tales with Annabelle and as she became fascinated listening to him…she soon fell in love with him.

Summer was melting into autumn and it was time for Mr. Bennington to move on. He asked Annabelle to be his wife and travel with him on his journey to new places. Annabelle was thrilled and ran to tell her parents about the proposal. Mr. and Mrs. Booker were horrified at the very idea of their daughter leaving town with this young man that they knew nothing about. They told Annabelle she was to marry the Parson Westminster on the third of the following month.

Brokenhearted, poor Annabelle went back to Mr. Bennington and told him happiness could never be theirs; it was her duty to follow her parents’ wishes.

Mr. Bennington was to resume his journey the following day, but he was devastated about losing Annabelle. Later that night he went to the giant tree where he and Annabelle had enjoyed so many afternoons, climbed up to the top and hurled himself onto the rocks in the Potomac River. Annabelle heard the tragic news the next morning after and she ran from her parents’ home to the great tree and flung herself from the topmost branches, following her true love into the river.

Legend has it that the young Annabelle and Mr. Bennington never really left town, but began another great adventure right here. Pay close attention when you walk on Potomac Street...you may get the impression of two young figures, books in hand, walking together toward the rive.

In times gone by, an old seafaring man called Ocean-Sailing Sam lived down on Maple Avenue, right where the Pacific Café is located now. Sam was a well traveled sailor and a China Explorer in his younger days. People used to come from miles around to eat his excellent Oriental food and hear the tales of his many travels.

One of Sam’s famous stories was his voyage with Captain Ascab, in their search for a great whale. Sam hired on as navigator on the soon to be ill-fated ship, and after sailing many months, their quarry was sighted. The long boats were put into the water and the crew rowed out. The whale, acting as if he knew what was going to happen, turned back with great speed and determination, hit the mother ship broadside, and with a great crash sent it to the bottom of the sea. Then, using his enormous size and strength, he easily flipped the long boats as if they were matchsticks. The harpooners never had a chance to strike, due to the speed of the whale’s attack. Ocean-Sailing Sam survived by holding onto a galley door that was torn from the ship. He floated in the ocean four nights and three days without food or water until a passing ship rescued him.

The ship-sinking whale story was only one of Ocean-Sailing Sam’s hundreds of tales. One day, in the midst of a long story, a young man expressed doubt and accused Sam of lying. One thing led to another and the youth challenged Sam to prove his skill by racing him over the rapids in the nearby Potomac River. Sam, even though he was an old man at this time, accepted the challenge. The race was set for sunrise, one week away.

There are people around today on Potomac Street who still talk about Ocean-Sailing Sam and his tall tales, and that will swear that on misty, summer mornings you can hear the faint roar of a crowd and see an old man shooting the rapids down the river in his homemade canoe.

Another coincidence? Many decades ago there was a woman with a sewing shop in the very location now used by Sewing Unlimited. Mrs. Molly Hostery was a ‘widow woman’ of undeclared years who was a master with the needle. She was a very charitable woman and was always there to lend a hand to anyone in need.

During the American Revolution she was with General George Washington at Valley Forge and sewed night and day to keep the troops’ uniforms in repair. She endured the horrible cold of winter with the troops and even crossed the Delaware with them. It seemed that she never tired, and with a smile and a song, she stitched garments late into the night.

Mrs. Holstery became ill and returned to her home in town and began to sew for the local people. She always sang a sweet song as she went about her work. She had been back for some time when she was asked to help some very poor people in the mountains of Virginia. Even though she was still weak, she could not refuse the request.

While Molly was in Virginia, General Washington sent an urgent message to her. He wanted her to design and stitch a flag. Since Mrs. Holstery was off somewhere in the mountain wilds and couldn’t be located, the General, in his haste, commissioned a lady named Betsy to sew for him. He knew that Betsy was a fine seamstress, but not the caliber of Mr. Holstery.

Poor Mrs. Holstery never returned to town. She had been traveling during a blizzard to help several different families, and was lost in the heavy snowstorm. Her body was not found until the late spring thaw. She was still holding her sewing bag with needles, shears, fabric and garments that she had been making for the needy mountain children.

On a winter’s night when you are walking by the shop on Potomac Street, listen and you may hear the melody of a cheery song and the click of sewing shears.

The site of Past & Present Antiques was once the home of Mr. Presently. He was the owner of the local feed store and a prominent member of the community.

The tale of Mr. Presently began many years before when he was a young man. Mr. Presently met and married the beautiful Jasmine La Cote. Miss La Cote had a very mysterious past and little was known of her before she came to town. She had raven black hair and flashing violet eyes. Her beauty was that of a long ago age. Strange things happened when Jasmine was around. It was rumored she could cast spells and use magic to her advantage.

One day she had an argument with Old Miss Haney who lived near the tracks. The silly argument was whether Jasmine had picked a flower out of Miss Haney’s yard. The day after the argument Miss Haney was out walking next to the train track when the ‘425’ came roaring by. Just at the right moment, a heavy sack fell from the mail car and struck Miss Haney a fatal blow.

Once in the spring, a group of boys were on the way to fish in the Potomac. Rounding a bend in the trail they came upon Jasmine sitting under a tree with a raven on her shoulder and a black cat in her lap. The children thought this was a bit unusual, and were worried about what it meant, They swore by what they saw, but the adults in the community just said pooh-poohed this and said, “children will be children“.

Many other strange things happened over the years but no one was certain if Jasmine had anything to do with them and she and Mr. Presently stayed married for some years and were very happy. He did not seem to notice anything unusual about Jasmine.

One sultry summer day a stranger came to town. He was a strange looking man with piercing black eyes, coal black hair and a birthmark in the shape of a diamond on his cheek. He did not speak with anyone but was seen walking around town and down by the river.

Jasmine became very nervous when news of the new arrival reached her. She made excuses not to leave her house. She spent her time sitting at the bay window with a wistful, faraway look in her eyes.

On the night of the next full moon, all the dogs in town began to howl. Mr. Presently awakened and could not find Jasmine anywhere in the house. He became extremely worried and went out to search for her. He was walking down Potomac Street and up ahead he could see a woman wearing a long robe walking toward the river. Mr. Presently slowed his pace and followed her. He got close enough to recognize Jasmine. She was unaware of him, and did not turn her head, but looked straight into the distance. Jasmine walked on to the river and at its edge she met that strange man from town. They joined hands and walked into the river. Mr. Presently cried out and ran to the river edge, but he was too late. They both disappeared into the water never to be seen again. A local fisherman had also seen the incident, but there was no explanation as to what had happened. Mr. Presently returned to his home where he remained sad and reclusive, until his passing several months later.

Sometimes during the full moon on a hot summer night you can hear the howling of a dog and see the specters of a man following a black-robed woman walking down Potomac Street, toward the dark waters of the river.

Unusual facts seen the norm in our town. Cripple Creek Antiques is now located in the old grocery store of John Waters, a hero of the railroad. Long years ago there was a bad train wreck on the Cripple Creek Bridge just east of town. The train went off the bridge and John single-handedly saved more than twenty of the passengers, including the Le Roy twins. John’s leg was badly injured and he had a limp for the rest of his days. Everyone called him “Crip” from then on.

About a hundred years ago Crip owned the grocery store in town. He opened it after the accident made it impossible for him to continue his railroad career. Hanna, his pretty young daughter spent her days working in the store. As usual with young folks, Hanna was in love with a young man that did not meet with her parents’ approval.

Hanna’s young man, Cleve Brodderick, was employed by the railroad and spent much time trying to win Crip’s approval. But Crip wanted his daughter to marry someone prominent in the community, not a lowly railroad lineman.

Several years passed and Cleve still courted Hanna and tried to win her parents over. Many days Hanna and Cleve would spend time in the back room of the store planning their future together. Even though Cleve had been promoted, Crip still felt he was not good enough for his daughter.

During this period Hanna caught the eye of Tyler Conaway, the son of Marion Conaway, a wealthy property owner from the next county. Hanna was not interested in young Mr. Conaway and made her intentions known, but this only made the spoiled Tyler more determined to have her for his bride. Of course, Crip was delighted with this turn of events.

Young girls at this time of our history did not go against the wishes of their parents. Arrangements were made for Hanna to marry Tyler Conaway the following month. Cleve begged Crip to change his mind, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Hanna cried and asked her parents to please let her marry the man she loved, but they would not relent.

Time passed quickly and on the morning of the wedding Cleve said his tearful farewell to Hanna and left on an extended trip for the railroad. Hanna heard the lonely call of the train whistle as it left the yard heading out of town.

The #444 eastbound from Martinsburg was on the wrong track and hit the #223, Cleve’s train, head-on as it came out of the tunnel. Townspeople rode out to the awful wreckage hoping to save some of the passengers, but nothing could be done; the wreck was too serious and damage too great for any survivors. Hanna’s parents refused to let her go look for Cleve and made her go through with the wedding.

Hanna became Mrs. Conaway but her spirit was broken. Cleve’s body was never identified and Hanna would take neither food nor water and was slowly pining away. She did finally make the trip to the site of the train wreck where her Cleve had last been. Days later, her wasted body was found lying by the track near the tunnel entrance.

Next time you are on Potomac Street, stop in Cripple Creek Antiques and walk toward the back of the store. Sometimes on a quiet afternoon you can hear the soft voices of Hanna and Cleve, planning their happy future together.

It is interesting to note that many years ago where the Sundance Aart & Frame Gallery is now located, there was the home and carpentry shop belonging to Jaisy and Keane Sundowner. Back in those days, it was not considered “proper” for a woman to do man’s work, so everyone assumed that Keane constructed the beautiful hand tooled boxes, picture frames and furniture sold from their store. All along, it was Jaisy! She was a master carpenter, with skills handed down from her father. Locals said it had to be magic the way so many treasures were created in the Sundowner shop, and people came from miles around to buy them.

During the winter of 1862 while the Civil War raged around the Berlin area, Union General Taylor McBride came to town to visit his sister Delicia. As General McBride had known Jaisy since childhood, he and his sister were invited to dinner at the Sundowner’s home one evening. After dinner the General and Jaisy were in her workshop discussing a table he wanted made for his wife. The General needed to get an urgent message to his spy in Richmond, but was unable to do so because of the massed Rebel troops just across the Potomac. He spoke of the urgency to Jaisy and she offered her help. She was almost finished with a wardrobe for a prominent family in Richmond and it was scheduled for delivery in a few days. Jaisy would put the message in a small-carved box that had a false bottom. General McBride told her she could not go it was too dangerous. Jaisy told him her husband was with the local government so he could not be involved so who else could go on the trip. She let it drop that perhaps her skill with wood was not all due to skill perhaps something else was involved so she would be entirely safe. The information was so important it could change the duration of the war so against his better judgment the General agreed.

Two days later Jaisy began her perilous journey toward Richmond. Carl Hawkins was driving the delivery wagon and he did not have any idea what kind of mission he was participating in. Carl was a young country boy and extremely naive so he was the perfect person to accompany Jaisy. They were stopped several times by the Rebel forces but after giving their story and dropping the name of the person that had ordered the wardrobe they were allowed to continue. The wardrobe was heavy so it was going to be a slow, long trip.

Several days later as they were drawing close to Richmond, Jaisy told Carl to take the spare horse and ride ahead to the next town to see if there was a blacksmith there to take care of the horses needs. After Carl left Jaisy gave a blast on the wagon horn and soon a horseman appeared out of the woods. They exchange a quick greeting and Jaisy gave him the carved box with the message. Just as the horseman took the box a group of Rebel horsemen came galloping out of the woods heading right for the wagon. The spy quickly disappeared back into the forest leaving Jaisy alone to face the Rebels. Captain Jubal D. Blackworth pulled up his horse next to the wagon and told Jaisy he knew what had just transpired and was going to put her under arrest. Jaisy told him she needed to get something out of the wardrobe and told him the name of the people to whom it was being delivered. The Captain could not argue hearing the name so he said just be quick about it. Jaisy open the wardrobe, stepped inside and close the door. The Captain was taken back by surprise and told his troops to fire into the wardrobe before she could take any action. A blast of rifle fire was directed at the wardrobe. The Captain dismounted, climbed up to the wardrobe and threw open the door. He was shocked to see it was empty. The only thing in the wardrobe was bullet holes. Where had the woman gone, he knew she had not left. He knocked on the walls to see if they were trap doors but they were solid chestnut. Now he had destroyed the wardrobe of the most powerful man in Richmond. The Captain did the only thing he know to do, he got his troops together and got as many miles away from the wagon as he could manage.

When Carl returned to the wagon Jaisy was sitting on the driver seat awaiting him. The wardrobe was as good as new and they continued their trip to Richmond. What had happened? Was Jaisy a magician or something more? As with all good stories some how what had happened made the rounds of the villages and towns. When Jaisy returned to Berlin people were a little afraid to go near her home unless they had a good reason. The Sundowner’s still had a very successful business but there was always a mystery about Jaisy.

On one of your rambles down Potomac Street remember Jaisy and her strange adventure. Should you hear hammering near Sundance Frame Shop just keep on walking, it may be Jaisy and she may have something more in mind than just a beautiful carved box.

During the American Revolution there was a lovely manor house on the site of the Theresa Murray Salon. Here lived Mrs. Mary Sallon and her husband, known to everyone as "the Major". Mrs. Sallon was quite gifted as a hairdresser...in fact she was a descendent of a long line of hairdressers who served the crowned heads of England. She also had quite a reputation for her elegant couture and was known for her elegant dinner parties.

The Major was a staunch defender of the English crown against the colonists, but he seemed unaware of his wife's feelings about the political situation. Mrs. Sallon dressed the hair of most of the officers' wives in the area, and as she worked, she politely listened to all the gossip. Mary was careful not to air her opinion to anyone. Matthew Cosgrove, who happened to be Mary's cousin, was also the local saloon owner and undercover Captain of the local militia. Mrs. Sallon would listen to all the chatter about what the women’s' husbands were doing in the military and she would privately pass this information on to Matthew. This secret arrangement continued for some years and the information had served very useful to the American Colonist and his cohorts.

On a snowy winter night during one of her elegant dinner parties, news came to Mrs. Sallon regarding the movement of the Hessian Soldiers. Mary slipped out of the house and ran to the saloon to inform Matthew, but he had been called away. She knew that she had to get the news to General Wilcox in Frederick and get it to him fast! Still wearing her beautiful evening attire, she had no regard for her safety when she saddled a horse and set out for Frederick. She realized that there were English troops in the area, so she took great care not to be spotted.

Mrs. Sallon had been riding on horses almost since before she could walk, and was an accomplished horsewoman. Although the blinding snow was blowing out of the north and made visibility difficult, Mary was able to find the back trails. (She was familiar with the area from years of riding here.) After many hours, she finally located the farmhouse where General Wilcox had his headquarters. Mrs. Sallon slipped into the barn and found some horse blankets which she wrapped around herself to cover her gown and hide her face. She knocked on the farmhouse door and asked for General Wilcox. The soldier who answered encouraged her to come in to the warmth of the house, but she refused and waited at the door, stating that she had valuable information for the General. Refusing the food or drink that she was offered, she related the information to General Wilcox, received his gracious thanks and hurried away.

Mrs. Sallon mounted her horse and began the arduous trip back home. She was crossing Catoctin Creek when a company of English soldiers saw her, gave chase and began firing their revolvers. She was shot below the left shoulder, but managed to stay mounted, spurred her horse on and lost the English soldiers in the woods.

Back home, Mary's husband had missed her at the dinner party, but knew she could be temperamental. He thought perhaps she had gone for a walk in the snow and after all the guests departed, he retired to his room.

Upon reaching the house, Mrs. Sallon unsaddled the horse and crept up to her room. She had been badly wounded, but had no one she could turn to for help. She lay down on her bed, still dressed in the lovely gown...never to rise again.

The next morning the Major found his dead wife clad in a bloody evening gown with a gunshot wound in her back. There was no one who could explain what had happened. No one ever discussed the tragic event and her death was officially listed as "fever". Matthew Cosgrove had also mysteriously disappeared: there was no else who knew of Mary's brave act to help her country.

Sometimes you can hear the rustle of a fine silk dress, or the pounding of horse hooves as you walk down Potomac Street. The locals say that it is Mary, the long forgotten hero of the American Revolution, riding bravely on horseback to help save her country from its enemies.

A mighty fish, respectfully called “Ghost Fish” by the locals who had been unable to catch him, lived in the Potomac just south of town. Not even the great Smoker Joe had been able to get him to bite on his line. People would even bait their lines with whole chickens, trying to catch this monster fish, but the pole would bend and the line would snap every time. Ghost Fish had been known to overturn small boats and caused several fishermen to drown.

Slim Perkins, the local ne’r do well, would always taunt Joe about his inability to catch the Ghost Fish. One warm summer evening, in front of a large number of townsfolk, Slim was again pestering Joe about the great fish. Joe, having heard enough, left and swore he would not return until he had Ghost Fish mounted on a plaque.

Joe took his best gear and headed for the Potomac River. He loaded his boat and paddled out into the middle of the river. Joe fished for two days-never leaving his boat, but Ghost Fish was not to be found. On the third day Joe finally felt a strong tug on his fishing line. The boat was spun around in circles several times while Joe tried to pull the fish in. This battle went on for hours but Joe could not make any progress. The whole community had walked down to the banks of the river and was cheering Joe on. Suddenly Ghost Fish swam swiftly down the Potomac pulling Joe and the boat behind him and disappeared around the bend. Those on the shore heard Joe’s loud cry and waited all day, but neither Joe nor his boat were found. Was he ashamed to show his face or did something much more sinister happen to Smoker Joe?

During your visit on Potomac Street you may hear a faint cry coming from the river or see the silhouette of a man with a fishing pole heading for the river. If so, remember Smoker Joe and the great Ghost Fish. Many people believe Ghost Fish is still out there, just waiting for his next challenge.

The site of the Railroad Museum overlooks the tracks where some very mysterious events have taken place over the years.

Many, many years ago there was a terrible wreck near town. Some sections of the track had been damaged by a bad storm, and the #339 westbound from Washington, derailed. A railroad employee, remembered only as “Engineer Man” was at the controls of the train that day and made a heroic effort to save the train and crew, but all were lost.

Decades later there have been reports of a phantom train. Many strange things happened with this phantom train but one event was exceptional. One night during a very heavy rainstorm the #229 westbound out of Washington was speeding toward town. At the controls of the #229 was another railroad worker known as Engineer Man. A huge boulder had been washed down the hill onto the tracks. Every minute brought the #229 closer to disaster. As Engineer Man leaned out of the cab trying to see what was ahead, he saw the headlights of an approaching train on the same track! He pulled the brakes as hard as he could and the train slowly came to a stop. The oncoming train stayed on its path full speed toward the #229, passing right through it and continuing on its way with a loud blast of the horn. Engineer Man and his crew stepped down from the locomotive and gave thanks for being alive. They could not understand what had happened until they looked out fifty yards ahead of their train and saw this enormous boulder blocking the tracks. The phantom train had saved the train and the lives of the entire crew.

A rather humorous thing happened when Mrs. O’Malley’s cow, Daisy, strayed onto the train track and would not move. Mrs. O’Malley pulled and pulled on the animal’s harness, but Daisy would not budge. Suddenly, the wail of a train whistle was heard, and the specter of a train rushed toward them. Mrs. O’Malley and the cow were frightened enough to begin moving off of the track, but the phantom train passed right though them. Just as they made way, the #206 came hurtling by and missed the woman and cow by only a few feet. Again, the ghostly train had saved lives.

During a snowstorm a work crew got trapped in a large drift some miles from town. In the blinding snow the crew could not see which way to go for safety. Suddenly they saw a bright light in the distance that was moving away from them. They could hear the click of steel wheels on the train tracks. The crew fought their way through the snow following the light and finally reached the safety of the town. No one could explain the light, but people said the phantom train saved the crew from a frozen fate.

If you walk on Potomac Street and hear the distant wail of a train whistle and clicking wheels, turn and look carefully toward the railroad tracks and you may see the spectral train making its ghostly run into eternity.

The church where Beans in the Belfry is now located is almost one hundred years old. When it was first built a beautiful young girl named Miranda lived here and was considered the belle of the town. Most of the eligible young men in town were in love with her and many had asked for her hand in marriage. Unfortunately for her admirers, her heart belonged to Tommy Ashford, a young man who worked for the railroad. Miranda and Tommy were inseparable, walking hand and hand on the towpath, boating on the Potomac or enjoying picnics at the river’s edge. The two lovers only had eyes for each other and spoke of the day that they would be married in the beautiful church on Potomac Street.

Flora DeMar, a member of a traveling dance group, had arrived in town and was causing quite a sensation. Flora, with her group the Astounding DeMar’s, was to perform on a stage erected down by the railroad tracks. She had known Tommy Ashford when they were children in Baltimore and upon finding him in town, set out to renew their friendship. Flora had a whole week before the upcoming performance, in which to beguile Tommy. She was a beautiful, spoiled woman and accustomed to getting her way in all things. Flora would flirt with Tommy and tease him about their childhood adventures. Miranda, a small town innocent girl, did not like what was happening and was hurt by it, but she didn’t know what to do. Flora was a worldly woman in every sense of the word, and was quite shrewd.

The night of the performance finally arrived. Miranda was relieved at the thought of finally being rid of Flora and having Tommy all to herself again. But after the show’s intermission, Miranda could not find Tommy. She went backstage and there found Flora in Tommy’s arms! Miranda was horrified; all her dreams were crushed in that one moment.

Blinded by tears, Miranda ran from the stage area up to the old church on Potomac Street. She climbed up the stairs to the belfry and hurled herself over the rail. The pastor, downstairs working in his study, heard the pounding steps and Miranda’s cry. He ran up the steps to the belfry and pulled the on bell rope to call the townspeople for help.

Poor Miranda! She perished, not realizing that what she had witnessed was only the rehearsal of part of the last act of the show, where Tommy would propose to Miranda from the stage. They were acting out what he would say, and how they thought Miranda would respond. It was just two old friends playing a prank.

When you pass the old church on Potomac Street, remember the sad story of Tommy and Miranda. Some say that during the full moon, just past midnight, a cry can be heard from the old belfry, followed by the mournful ringing of the church bell.

Once, many years ago, in a cabin on the site of EBA Sports , there lived a boy named Josh Brandon. Josh was the fastest runner, best swimmer, best shot and all around athlete in the county. He was the ‘favorite’ at the annual summer fair and everyone would place bets that Josh could outrun any contender. On a stormy night a few weeks before the Summer Fair, a strange man named Hiram arrived in town and let it be known that he was the fastest man alive. No one knew Hiram’s last name or where he had come from, or indeed anything of his background. He was very tall and thin, had inky black hair, piercing dark eyes and a skin so white it was almost transparent. If you looked directly into Hiram’s eyes, which few people did, you got an icy stare and a chill would run up your spine if you got too close to him. Hiram certainly did not look like much of a runner and people snickered behind his back and said that if he intended to race Josh, he would be left in the dust.

Hiram had challenged Josh to run a five-mile race during the Summer Fair celebration and the people in the town came alive with excitement. It was fully two weeks until the event, which was to be held on the outer edge of town in Tom Hadley’s cornfield. The race trail would go up over Possum’s Point and down through Hog Wallow Gully. The trail up Possum’s Point climbed for over half a mile through very dense woods filled with all kind of wild animals and Devil’s Den Cave was at the very top. Each evening as the sun dropped in the west, bats by the thousand would swarm out of the cave and no one from the town would go there after dark. Several times a year strange lights could be seen at the cave’s entrance, and strange rumblings from deep in the earth cause people to shake with fear.

As the days went by Hiram was seldom seen in town and no one knew where he lived. He would just suddenly appear as if by magic. A young boy out playing in the fields said he saw Hiram coming down from Devil’s Den Cave. Mr. Hatfield was hauling a side of beef into town and when he passed Devils’ Den Cave Hiram suddenly appeared out of nowhere, spooking Mr. Hatfield’s horse and sending horse, wagon and driver, all into the ditch. There were other strange incidents, but they were overlooked due to the excitement preceding the upcoming race.

Finally the big day arrived bright and clear; people gathered from miles around. Josh was in top shape and ready for a good run. The race would begin at the edge of Tom Hadley’s cornfield, run a winding course for about two miles to the foot of Possum’s Point, up the point, then down the gully, about a mile and a half around Flat Top Mountain, then the remainder on a straight course to the finish line.

Townspeople and country folks were lined up to the very foot of Possum’s Point and Hog Wallow Gully on the other side. Only a few wanted to stand in view of Devils Den Cave. Bets were placed, the starting gun sounded and the runners were off! Actually, only Josh was off: Hiram was hopping and skipping along. At first Josh was far in the lead, but when the two were out of sight of the crowd, Hiram suddenly came up right behind Josh. As the two runners reached the bottom of Possum’s Point and started climbing the steep trail, Josh took a quick look behind him but Hiram was nowhere in sight! After running a few more yards, Josh looked back again and there was Hiram right behind him. As they approached Devil’s Den Cave, a black cloud passed in front of the sun, a strong wind began to blow and rain fell heavily from the sky. Josh began to run at top speed and for some reason, ran straight into the mouth of Devil’s Den Cave. As Josh was lost from sight the rain stopped.... the wind ceased.... and the black clouds cleared and the sun returned to the sky. Hiram kept right on going past the Cave and started down the trail. Only Hiram finished the race, but few people remembered having seen him pass by. He was declared the winner. Josh was never seen in these parts again and not so long after Hiram also vanished and was never seen in these parts again. What had happened? Could Josh have made a deal with the devil in order to be such a great athlete?

If you are ambling down Potomac Street on a bright summer day and in the distance you see two people running, remember the tale of Josh Brandon. The locals have reported that when the sun is high on the cornfields, Josh still runs, trying to reclaim his soul.

What a strange twist of fate for the Brunswick Citizen to be in its present location, for over a hundred years ago it was the home of a man known as "Citizen Joe" Malarkey. Citizen Joe published a monthly gazette where he was always quick to point out all of the bad, and only sometimes the good things that were going on in the county.

Once, after hearing reports of strange 'goings on' out at the local cemetery, he decided to investigate and expose whoever was responsible for these activities. Seems that people had seen lights of various colors shining from behind the burial vault of Mary Louise Kenningston. Miss Kenningston had been a beautiful young woman who had died of a broken heart when her lover was killed in the Civil War.

In the past few weeks, the Clement brothers, Bo and Jake, had frequently been out to the cemetery in the late evenings, and it was reported that they had been acting strangely ever since. Neither one of them would discuss what happened on these nocturnal visits. Bo finally left town and Jake walked around town looking pale and shaky. He never went to his favorite haunt, Black Jack’s Tavern, but kept strictly to himself.

Late at night on October 31st, Citizen Joe made his journey out to the cemetery. It was a beautiful night...with a full moon and a clear, starlit sky. As Joe began the walk, he whistled a merry tune. The leafless trees cast strange shadows on the shadowy landscape. Joe heard the mournful hoot of an owl from the trees just above, and the howl of a timber wolf off in the distance. Citizen Joe began to feel more anxious and uneasy, but he was not the type of man to be deterred from a task once he made up his mind, so he began to whistle even louder and even danced a little jig as he made his way down the road.

Finally he reached the wall surrounding the cemetery and sat down on a stone bench to catch his breath. He began to feel that perhaps he had been a bit hasty coming out here all-alone. Joe, being such a determined man, decided that he was being silly and that since he was this far, he would push on. He took a long look around and seeing nothing unusual, opened the heavy iron cemetery gate. As he slipped through the gate, a cold brisk wind began to blow from the north, and banged the gate shut behind him. Looking up he easily spotted Miss Kenningston's tomb up on Crooked Tree Hill, silhouetted against the sky. As Joe walked closer, a dark cloud passed in front of the moon, blocking the moonlight, and a thick mist rose up out of the ground.

A soft, blue tinted light shone out from the back of the tomb and cast a eerie glow. Slowly the blue changed into a pale rose color, then the rose faded into a thin yellow light. As the lights changed color, Joe's courage too was changing into fear and trepidation.

Suddenly he heard the sound of horses' hooves and the call of a bugle. Joe leaped behind a large oak tree to hide himself. He peered out from behind the tree trunk and saw a skirmish between the Confederates and the Yankees, being fought right before his eyes! He ducked back behind the tree and fell to his knees praying for his soul to be saved. After a short while, it became quiet and he once again looked out and this time saw a lone soldier standing next to the Kenningston tomb with his head down, sobbing. Out of the yellow mist a beautiful young woman appeared, clad in a long, gossamer robe. She reached out, took the hand of the young soldier and they both disappeared back into the tomb.

Citizen Joe was shocked and scared at what he saw. He ran wildly toward the cemetery gate, but couldn't get it opened. He leaped over the five foot stone wall and ran all the way home, where he paused only long enough to throw a few of his belongings in a traveling bag and saddle his horse. He galloped swiftly out of town and none of the local folk ever saw Citizen Joe in these parts again, or ever heard about where he went.

Some evening when the moon is high and you are walking down Potomac Street, you may hear the sound of a happy whistler. Remember the tale of Citizen Joe. It has been suggested by many people that a fierce battle still rages on the edge of town, especially on Halloween night.