The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-09-17
Zeb's Pet Salmon.
For Twenty Years it Inhabited Alternately Zeb's
Spring and the Governments Hatchery Pond,
and Every change Brought Needed Dollars to
Is

lis owner.
ror.,.,. po.., NJ. p...,s, J..
'7,D' NY i'o'i'o ioi0' Wv
'heseleated ana very lnteillgent salmon be-
longing to Zeb Atkins of Hot Hole Noun
tain, is dead. The immediate cause of
b;s talino off v,s ,1, oao +,o,,.,, ,o,,
~ 'io"en 'nuoii
hahollhs ana long journeys overland to
the Dead River fish hatchery no doubt
shortened his days. Zeb' 5 liking for Ruth
arford waS Of an Uncommon ,,;nd oo, -
i>'
these DAYS OF erratlc ana erotlc affections.
The tender and pink steaks. which make
most salmon precious as we'll as palatable.
was never taken into the account when
Zeb made an inventory of Rutherforti's
assets \ fish that could keep large
spling Of water free from frogs and in
sects ion twenty years and earn in the
same time SOFT in cold cash was soIne-
thing uncommon, even in Maine, where
the natural and the supernatural walk
EalG il hand 1t was obvious to every
body Who knew the circumstances that
Leb prlZeG rutherford as a money winner
ana confidential companion. and liked
HIM SO well that no epicurean thought
crossed ms mind. In Il case OF live sal
mon and regular income against boiled
salmon and green peas Zeh espoused the
unpopular side, and rutherford survived
TWO decades,
Zeb is farmer, who follows fishing for
an aNocation, prefeuing the Joys OF the
gentle art to anything he can lind around
the leafers' bench at the grocery. Late
III May, 1876, when his neighbors were
saving their dollars to 90 to PHILADELPHIA
be took his dip net and went down to-
,..t, H.
smelts. The second sweep of the nor
brought him in gilded and vermjIion-
spotted salmon that weighed eipht mounds
by soaking his net occasionally in fresh
water he got the fish home alive. He nr+
il into the great boiling spring back of his
house. In a few weeks if had devoured
all the swimming and creepino thinUs tha+
made their home in the spring. and BEGAN
to look to Zeb for sustenance Bv carry
ING out chopped meat and scrans from flo
table whenever he went for nail of wa
ter, Zeb soon tanned the fish So if would
come and take the food from his hands
When the Republican National Conven-
ton met and nominated Gov. HAYES for
President, Zeb named his fish Rutherford
in honor of the winning candidate Utter
that the salmon was recar,]ed as - ,,an,l
ber of the family and no Longer was mon
toned as lit -
The pinch of hard times which was fal+
all over Maine in 1876. fell unon Zeh with
the rest. One dav when he was feelino
unusually poor a neighbour asked him why
he did nor sell Rutherford ia tha +isi
hatchery. Ieb could not endure the
thought Of parting with his fish Then
he received a letter from LAWYER, askinr
for immediate payment on a small biil
that was long overdue. That night Ruth
e4tord was taken in = t,,b IA tho ba+cberv
and Zeb went home with - % in his
pocket He was very sad all through
having. In August, when his grass was
IN the barn, he went after berries In his
travels he came to the great pond where
the hatchery fish are confined He was
picking berries and whistljno an old 61ne
when lie heard a splash in the water
followed by another and another until n
great shining salmon dashed against the
beach right at lls feet. Ieb knew at
once that it was battlefront. He fed his
pet with q few berries from his nail and
went home to pass bad night Though
he fought brayely. the tetnn1a+iot, was IA
strong, and the next day Iutbarfo,,d WAC
elolen from the uond and ln,t bacL, in tIe
swiug.
FnT1rna was l,io7 to Iol, f,, y, WAC, ,.,,.,,.,
..t.- ia Is ~ 4 lever broke 9t}I in IQS family
and took lis last cent and left linn jndrbt
III hls STRAITS me again took Rutherford TO
;lle hatchery and offered him forsale Mr.
bu X looked the tish over. ana. tulnino
mp the back Of irs dorsal Tin showed
Tiny bronze tag which WAS attached to
HutAe1lcIPs back with platinum wire
''This fish has been here before. said
MI Buck. There is my tag. No ;23
Wait minute While look mn his
lecUld."
Lehs knees knocked together with fear
While MI Buck went to = book and read
that No. j23 had been purchased ON .Julv
Il. lo-d. and that he weished Is pounds
at that time. Ieb manaoed 70 ask Him if
the name Of the seller was on this book
and when MI. Buck said such records
We're unnecessary his heart turned somer
sauts OF gladness inside OF his ribs, Ruth
eltord had gained considerably in the
time, and now weighed % pounds. Zeb
got 81. 80 fer the fish, live weight, and re-
ceived 81 extra as bounty on the tag, and
went home feeling uucommonly well.
III you ever catch him again" said
Mr.. Buck, land the tag is still on him,
bring him here, and III give YOU the
highest market price and another dollar
IN bounty