The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-07-11

and Curtiss Batchelder, sons
- - of a farmer who lived three
quarters of a mile from the pond, over the
hill to the southwark. For some time we
boys had regarded this tishing-ground of
the Maine village near Loon Pond as one
belonging by good rights to the Murchison
boys, since there dead uncle had stocked it
with black bass.
The Murchison boys were good fellows,
who often asked the rest of us to 90 fish
ing; but as time passed, certain boys en-
croached without invitation on the privi-
lege-particularly the two Batchelders,
Alfred and Curtiss, who were somewhat
selfish, veIbearng fellows.
They lived little nearer the pond than
the Murchisons, or any one else; and dur
ing the third season that the fishing had
been public, they conceived a scheme to
secure it wholly for themselves. About
this they went with not little cunning
and strategy.
The only good fishing was on the south
shore of the pond, opposite pasture be-
longing to widow who lived in distant
city. The Batchelder boys hired, or pre-
tended they had hired this pasture from
the widow. On the strength of this trif-
ling tenure they set up trespass notices,
forbidding all persons to enter the pasture
on penalty of the law. If they could keep
the public out of that pasture they would
have all the bass-tishipg in the pond to
themselves.
1t was great piece of selfishness. The
Murchison boys, finding themselves thus
excluded from what they had regarded as
almost their own water, went about among
all the youngsters in the district, advising
some kind of retaliation against the monop-
olists. We determined to have a boat and
fish from that, wherever we pleased, along
shore.
Hitherto there had been no boat on the
pond; but eleven OF us contributed sixty
cents apiece and hired local carpenter to
build for us fiat bo;tomed boat, which we
hauled to the pond. Six of the owners
iished from it during one day The craft
was then moored at the southeast end OF
the pond.
day or two later the new boat was
found with the bottom battered to pieces
by stones or an axe. We had little doubt
that the Batchelder boys did the mischief,
but could obtain no direct evidence of this.
Feeling much outraged, our party re-
solved to stand together and test the legal
ity of the trespass notice. The Murchison
boys, Ben and Willis, by agreement, en-
tered the pasture a few days later and
fished for several hours. On their way
home they purposely displayed the bass
which they had caught to Curtiss and
Alfred Batcheder.
Some words passed. and the Batchelders
loudly threatened legal proceedings Willis
and Ben babe them 90 ahead, and left them
very angry. We learned afterward that
they actually consulted lawyer with a
view to entering suit for trespass. Prob
ably they had been advised not to do so:
for no prosecution followed. They hit upon
a new scheme, however.
About week later Ben and Willis came
around to consult with the rest of us. in a
state of great evaporation.
"They've gone and turned their old bull
Duke, into the pasture :" said Willis.
Hes cross and dangerous, and Curtss
and Alfred have cut the alders down all
along the shore by the waterside, so that
he can see everybody that goes along there. !"
The bull was a white-faced Hereford,
owned by the Batchelders, well-known to
he dangerous.
\ party of us went to the pond to recon-
hotter the enemy; and we quickly discov-
cred that to fish along the shore where the
pasture bordered the pond would be a
perilous pastime. As soon as old Duke
saw us within his domain he paved up the
turf roared and came charging savagely
down to the water.
Some of the boys attempted to steal
alon' the shore and fish unseen; but now
that the bushes had been cut down. this
was no safe venture. When once a bull
has taken up the business Of attacking hu
man beings, he enjoys it and gives it much
attention. Ben was "treed" one afternoon
not long after for four or five hours to the
immense delight of Curtiss and Alfred
Batchelder who hooted at him from the
top Of hill at a distance He did not get
away till after dark.
Next day he and Willis consulted a law
yer, to learn whether the Batchelders
could not be legally estopped from allow
ing a dangerous bull to range along tho
pond shore. They were advised that if
the pasture were well fenced, with tr.spass
notices conspicuously posted, stating also