The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-03-15
THE LONG ROD POLE.

The facts here related took place in the
northwestern part of Maine about the
year 1925, and although I was at that
time very young, indeed mere child, yet
the peculiar character OF the circum-
stances, the neighhorhood excitement ana
the sad consequences which followed
made an impression upon my mind that
seems as fresh today as it did more than
so years ago
A few miles from my fathers old farm
there lived two well 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 inveterate en-
smics. Their farms lay side by side on the
rounty 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 preci-
sion of a master mechanic. Each owned
hundred rods, and through a part Of tho
meadow ran brook, which, like most
meadow brooks, was very crooked.
Now, John thought it would be an e1.
cellent plan to ditch his 100 rods, making
the brook straight, and thereby saving
much land and making his field more
convenient and productive. 30 he con-
tracted with a man named Redman to dig
100 rods of ditch at $l'per rod, beginning
at the lower line Of his farm and follow
ing down the stream to Calvin's line.
Redman came, and with his two Crowd
I'D boys he went merrily to work and
John made him q rod pole for the occa-
sion; but, being Of treacherous disposi-
ton, he made the measure dozen inches
longer than usual, that he might get
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 get
ting an honest reply. One day, as be
leaned upon his scytbe, be called:
Il say, RedmaD, how many rods have
you got nlong?"
Eighty"
Eighty Well, you're getting along
fast"
Now, Calvin saw at once that he was far
too near his line for so rods, and, musing
upon the circumstances. he decided there
must be a mistake Knowing John so
well, he began to suspect, as he considered
the subject further, that John might be
trying to defraud Redman, SO dropping
his scythe and crossing the line he sat
down near the rod pole and took off his
hat to cool and rest himself
Il say, Redman, 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
win. Here was a chance TO plague his en-
envy. Did he go and tell Redman? No,
not he. He laughed quietly in his sleeve
and waited for Redman to finish his work.
This WIS done, and the honest digger pre-
scented to John his bill for 500, received
his money and went his way.
Very soon after this was accomplished
Calvin discovered, to his great surprise
and Indignation. Of course, that some one
had been trespassing on his meadow by
digging ditch about 100 feet long near
the line which separated his land from
Johns. Sending to John, he demanded
If that ditch was dug by his authority.
John, not suspecting any trouble, replied
vim at once started for the town and laid
his case before the village lawyer, who at
once saw that John had committed great
wrong, known to the law as willfully
trespassipg on the land of neighbor. A
writ was accordingly made out, and the
deputy sheriff of the county, so much
dreaded in those times, soon made bis ap-
pcarance before John, attached his proper
Co. q he do 70 a wi
and summoned him to appear and show
cause.
John was astonished He visited the
field and saw at glance that the ditch
was far over the line, and now for the first
time the awful thought flashed uron him
that in making his rcd pole enc foot too
long he had actually dug 100 feet into Cal
wins land He stood aghast and then
FASTENED TO find the rod pole that he
might destroy the proof Of his guilt, but
it was not 10 be found. He could not m
derstand where it had gone, but when he
appeared in court there that ghost Of
rcd pole met his astonished view. How it
came there none but Calvin knew, and he
was silent. The case was soon tried, and
a verdict Of guilty was rendered, with
nominal damage and cost of court This,
with the advantage Of his enemy and the
whitening rebuke Of the lawyers, was
terrible retribution for poor John
But mere was yet IN store. Redmap
saw, bv the evidence at court, that he had
been cheated out of 100 feet Of ditch actu-
ally dug, so he commenced suit against
John Again came the sheriff, again he
went to court, and again he received the
cold cuts Of the attorneys and the sneer of
the people, with the verdict of guilty and
the order Of full pay to Redman and the
costs Of court
And yet mere was in store for him. The
long rod pole was still kept for another
Use, the worst Of all, for now the church,
of which John had been TO all outward
Appearances an exemplary member, TOOK
the case in hand and expelled him from
their communion and fellowship.
Thus did the bitter get bit. Thus swiftly
did the retributive justice Of God oyertake
the poor cheat who secretly tried to rob a
poor honest man of the fruit of his toll
The wretcbed John never heard the last Of
the long rod pole Ii was the standing
joke for generation, and although nearly
oil the actors have long since settled their
accounts with that Being who measures
all things justly, the lesson still remains
and should teach us that in all our deal
ings with orr brother man God will only
prosper us when we deal honestly and
justly. When tempted TO do otherwise,
let US remember the story of John, who
made his rod pole too long Exchange.
Living ON Milk.
There is a whole milk treatment as
well as a skimmilk cure, and an advocate