Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-01-11
AN EXPERIMENT.

Five or six boys who called themselves
the 'Caroway Penetrators," and who all
lived around the western slope of Caroway
mountain, used to meet once or twice q
week at Taylor's store. When they weEe
small, they hunted frogs along the creek
or climbed der trees" Crows being the
natural enemy of the farmer the destruc.
ton of a crows nest was an especial
achievement almost equal to the discovery
of a bee tree, though hardly so rich in in
cident
AS the Penetrators grew Older this sort
of diversion became stale. An old negro
named Catfish Jones was often the victim
of trick THIS uncommon title was not
baptismal, 1t is fair to state. The name
his parents gave him, being mere guess
work, was probably Inisfit, and he nat
urally grew into one which had more
character attached TO it. Once when affiX
Ing his mark to a legal document the old
man had written Catfish p. JONES' but
1t is more than likely this was for sonO.
rous effect rather than concession to the
buried past.
He lived alone at the mouth of Stony
creek, and what he knew about catching
fish approached the dignity of a science.
1t was the result of lifelong observation.
His lines were odds and ends of string,
the intent and purpose of which would
mystify grownup man, and it was no
wonder that the ordinary clumsy caution
of catfish or the cunning of stink
tom" availed nothing against such con-
trivances. When he suspended a big
piece of meat so near the top of the water
that it seemed to be floating, it would de-
ceive the oldest and biggest fish in Yad-
kin river Tho old negro smiled back as
at early sunrise he greeted the occupants of
his hooks, each fish with its nose at the
surface of the water.
One afternoon he was fishing for cells at
the foot of a sycamore tree that leaned
over the deep water. Following his habit,
he dozed off to sleep, and while he nodded
some one slipped up behind, and fitting a
forked pole astride his neck pushed him
into the river. He went under the water
with terrified yell and came up putting
and suffering. Ordinarily Catfish would
meekly submit to any amount of punish
ment, but now he was dangerously scared.
He grabbed wildly at tufts of grass and
swore at the top of his voice. As he Sc
cured sufficient hold to pull himself over
the bank he saw June Tarpey and one of
the Taylor boys running off over the hill.
The negros fright had lent him unusual
strength and leetness, and to June it
seemed no time at all until Cattishs long,
slender fingers twined themselves about
his neck and he felt himself falling back
ward.
He could never tell just what happened
after that He knew that after awhile
when Catfish loft h,
dirt and burning with pain.
"Boy!' 4
June shuddered as the negro faced about
again. Look heah, boy, guess des as
well finish you now"
June began begging again for mercy.
The negro seemed inclined to turn away
again.
Boy" he said, "you eveh fool roun
me any mo- DIES ruin yo'," and his words
sank so deep into June that even after he
was out of sight and hearing June was
afraid. He hardly knew which way to
venture This was sad termination TO
what was intended to be a brilliant ex-
plot.
For long time Catfish enjoyed a pros
porous season of fishing. On SATURDAYS
and sometimes in midweek he stood at the
corner of the courthouse square in Sails
bury and held up a string of fish,
But while Catfish caught fish during
the week and dangled them on certain
days in public places in Salisbury fine
worker in black art was planning his
downfall. He was being "cunjered"
Sometimes DR.. Cotton would not appear
in the Caroway country for whole year,
and then again st other times he seemed
almost to become a resident of the locali-
ty. He sold remarkably effective salve,
which contained, as he claimed, "seven
Ingredients. 1t was sure cure for corns
and numerous other ailments. If it failed
in any particular to do what he represent
ed, he would obligate himself to give the
purchaser 81, 900. AS no one ever claimed !