The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-01-25
The LONG ROD POLE.

northwestern part OF Maine about the
year 1885, and although I was at that
time very young indeed a mere child, yet
the peculiar character OF tho circum-
stances, the neighhorhood excitemont and
the sad consequences which followed
mnde nm impression upon my mind that
seems as fresh today as IL did more than
30 years ago. f4
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, bat at the time my story
commences they were most inveterate en-
emics. Their farms lay side by side on the
county road, SOHO few miles from the
Audroscoggin river. For many years they
cut their hay IN sllcnce, each one moving
down TO the dividing line with the proci-
sion OF master mechanic. Each owned
hundred rods, and through Part Of the
meadow ran q brook. which. like most
meadow brooks, was very crooked.
Now, John thcvght 10 would be an ex-
cellent plan 20 ditch his 100 rods, making
the brook straight and thereby saving
much land ana making his Gcld more
tbINCbitht Httt S'NAA+AtNs ~ HV N1A-
tracted with man nariod Rednan To dig
100 rods of ditoh nt 81 pcr rod, beginning
at tho lower lire of bis farm and follow
ing down the stream TO Calvin's limo
Redrnan came, and with hts two grown
up boys ho vent mefrily to work and
John made him q rod polo for the occa-
sion; but, being of tIeachaTOus disposi-
ton, he madc the measure a dozen inches
longer than usual, that be might get
good return. In this he did not fail.
Rednan worked diligently for some
days. Calvin was interested i'm the opera
t:on and carefully watched the proceed
ings, often asking Redman how many
rods be Lad accomplished and always get
ting an honest reply One dny, as he
leaned upon Ills scytho, he called
Il say, Redman, how many rods have
you got alopg'"
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, mnsing
upon the circumstances, he decided there
must bo mistake, Knowing John SO
well, he began To suspect, as he considered
the subject further, that John might be
trying to dofraud Redman, so dropping
his scythc and crossing the line he sat
down near the rod pole and took of his
hat TO cool and rest himself
II sn:, Redman, this is hot weather"
YES"
While so sitting he took occasion to
measure the pole which John had made,
and to his delight be found IL was just one
foot too long. Now, here was fun for Cal
win. Here was a chance TO plague his en-
emy. Did be go and tell Redmanr No,
not he. He laughed quietly In his sleeve
and waited for Redman TO finish his work.
This was done, and the honest digger pre-
sented to John bis bill for 500, received
his money and went bis way.
Very soon after this was accomplished
Calvin discovered to his great surprise
and Indignation, OF course, that some one
had been trcspassing on his meadow by
digging a ditch about 100 feet long near
the line which separated his land from
Johns. Sending to John, he demanded
IL that ditch was dug by his authority.
John, not suspecting any trouble, replied
that it was. Receiving this answer, CAL
vim at once started for the town and laid
his case before the village lawyer, who at
once saw that John had committed a great
wrong, known TO the law as willfully
trespassing on the land of a neighbor A
writ was accordingly made out, and tho
deputy sheriff of the county, so much
dreaded in those times, soon made bis ap-
pearance before John, attached his proper
ty for the damage done to Calvin's land
and summoned him to appear and show
cause.
John was nstonished He visited the
field and saw at glance that tho ditch
was 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 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
1t was not TO be found. He could not un-
derstand where it had gone, but when he
appeared In court there that ghost of a
rod 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
withering rebuke of the lawyers. was a
terrible retribution for poor John.
But more was yet in store. Redman
saw, by tho evidence at court, that he bad
been cheated out of 100 feet of ditch actu-
ally dug, so he commenced suit against
John. Again came tho sheriff, again he
went to court, and again he received tho
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 more was in store for him. The
long rod pole was SIN 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 rctributivo justice of God ovortake
tho poor cheat who secretly tried 90 rob a
poor honest man of the fruit of his toll
The wretchcd John never heard tho last Of
the long rod pole IL was the standing
joke for a generation, and although nearly
all tho actors have long since settled their
accounts with that Being who measures
oil things justly, the lesson still remains