Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-03-25
THE LONG ROD POLE.

The following story, we find in the
Argus, copied from the Boston Hnb, q
Journal for the carriage and Car Shop.
Our contemporary moro than intimates
that the Long Rod Pole came from the
pen of distinguished carriage manu-
tacturer of Portland-C. p. Kimball, Esq.
If so, it proves that Mr.. X. can turn ont
other good articles besides carriages. The
story is well told. and we venture to
predict that it, like his vehicles, will run
well. says the Press.
The facts here related took place in the
northwestern part of Maine about the
wear 1886, and although / was ut that
time very young, indeed mere child.
yet the peculiar character OF the circum-
stances, the neighborhood excitement,
and the sad consequence which followed,
made an impression upon my mind that
seems rs fresh to-day rs it did thirty
years ago,
A few miles from my fathers old farm
there lived two wcl,-to-do-farmers, whom
we will call John and Calvin. They
were related by way of marriage, and
were once great friends, but at the time
my story commences they were most in
yeterato enemies. Their farms lay side
by side on the country road, some few
miles from the Androscoggin River. For
many years they cut their hay in silence,
each one moving down to the dividing
line with the precision of master me
chanic. Each owned hundred rods,
and through part OF the meadow ran n
brook, which, like most meadow brooks
was very crooked.
Now John thought it would be an ex-
celcnt plan to ditch his one hundred rods,
making the brook straight, aud thereby
saving much land and making his field
more convenient and productive. So he
contracted with a man named Redman
to dig one hundred rods of ditch at one
dollar per rod, beginning at the lower
! line of his farm and following down the
stream to Calvin's line. Redman came,
and with his two grown.up boys he went
merrily to work, aud John made him n
rod pole for the occasion, but being oil a
trcachcrous disposition. he made the
mcasur. dozen inches longer than
usual, that he might get q good return.
In this he did not fail.
Redman worked diligently for some
DAYS. Calvin was interested in the opera
ton, and carefully watched the proceed
ings, often asking Redman how many
rods he had accomplished, and always
getting an honest reply. One day. as he
leaned upon his scythe. he called:
Il say, Rcdman, how many rods have
you got along?"
Eighty"
Eighty! well you're getting along
last"
Now Calvin saw at once that he was
far too near his line for eighty rods, and
musing upon the circumstances, he decid
ed there must be mistake. knowing 9
John so well, he began TO suspect, as he
considered the snbjec, further, that John
might be irving to defraud Redman; 50
dropping his scythe and crossing the line
he sat down near the rod pole and took
off his hat To cool and rest him self.
Il say, Rcdman, this is hot weather.
Yes"
While SO sitting he took occasion to
measure the pole which John had made,
and to his delight he found it was just one
foot too long Now here WAS fun for Cal
vim Here was a chance 10 plague bis
enemy. Did hc 90 and tell Redman? No,
not he He laughed quietly in his sleeve,
and waited for Redman TO finish his W ork.
This was done, and the honest digger
presented TO John his bill for one hundred
dollars, received his money and went his
way. Very soon after this was accom-
plished, Calvin discovered, 10 his great
surprise and Indignation of course, that
some one had been trcspassing on his
meadow by digging ditch about ore
hundred feel long, arthe line which sep
arated his land from Johns. Sending to
John he demanded if that ditch was dug
by his authority. John not suspecting
any trouble, replied that it was. Receiv,
ing this answer, Calvin Mt once started
for the town and laid his case before the
village lawyer, who at once arted, saw
that John hal committed great wrong,
known to the law as wilyMly trespaSSin9
on the land Of aeighbor \ writ was
accordingly made out and the Deputy
Sheriff of the County, so mnch dreaded
in those times, soon made his appearance
before John, attached his property for
the damage done to Calvin's land and
summoned him 10 appear and show cause.
John was astoniShed. He visited the
field, and saw at glance that the ditch
lCaS far over the line, and now for the
first time the awful thought flashed upon
him that in making his rod pole one foot
too long he had actually dug one hundred
feet into Calvin's land. He stood aghast.
and then FASTENED 10 find the rod pole
that he might destroy the proof of his
guilt, but it was not To be found He
could not understand where it had gone,
but when he appeared in court, there that
ghost of rod pole met his astonished