The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-07-11
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. :NzN=7=A=NN:N=N:N.NN=
! THE GUARDIAN of the
FISH POND. !
\
\ BY d. d. EAST.

BY ID. ID. EAST. .

that bad-tempered bull was inclosed
there, suit to restrain them would prob
ably fail.
We could not deny that the Batchelders
had placed four trespass notices along the
pasture fence. Two of these bore the
words, Gross bull in this pasture. Look
out for him." They had really put the
bull there and erected the notices by adj
vice of lawyer
That was the way the law was commonly
interpreted in Maine, up to the year 1879
But in certain similar cases, tried since
that time, decisions have been to the effect
that bull known to be very dangerous
may not be allowed lawfully to run free in
pasture or field; and that the owner. even
it he has previously lined his fences with
trespass notices, may be held responsible
for assaults which the beast commits
A month or more passed. Duke ranged
the pond side unrestricted and on the
whole proved an efficient guardian of the
fishing. The boys hated the brute as cor
daily as Alfred and Curtiss boosted his
proves.
One morning about the first of July
there was thick fog with indications of
rain. Thinking it a good opportunity to
elude the bull, another boy and | went
quietly to the pond with our rods. We
carried covered bucket partly full of
water, containing forty or fifty live Shin
ers' which we had caught with a net in a
neighboring brook.
My companion was a youth about seven
teen years of age. As he is now professor
in one OF the largest of our New England
universities, and possibly might not enjoy
such "reminiscences of his youthful exploits,
| will call him "Dod" Barker.
Under cover of the thick fog we made
our way cautiously to the best place for
fishing. Wading out to two of the large,
outstanding rocks little way above the
mouth OF the brook, we began to fish. We
kept perfectly quiet, and in the course Of
half an hour had pulled out eighteen OF
twenty bass, that weighed from pound
and half to three pounds each
Presently the fog lifted so quickly that ]
could see nearly across the pond then
looked behind me and perceived that the
pasture was clearly in view. There was
the bull lying down with two vearlinps
under beech-tree, fifteen or twenty rods
up from the shore.
bod, said l. in a low tone, ''just look
up there in the pasture. We had better
take our fish and get out of here
My companion had bass on his hook
and was playing it. He barely glanced
around, and said, ooh, he looks quiet.
Our two rocks were not more than fift,
or sixty feet apart; but low as we spoke,
think the bull heard us, for at that momen
he stood up and began to paw, and cam,
believing down on us at a trot | seizeG
my string of fish, splashed ashore and called
to Barker to run for it.
Don't rum" said bod "He'n catcl
you, sure"
But we'll be caught up on these rocks, ,
| demonstrated "Alfred and Curtiss ma,
hear the believing, too, and come over and
chaif usr'
Il guess we can create some sort of diver.
sion, " said bod, standing still on his rock
and looking at the bull.
| hastily took refuge on the rock with
him, for by this time the bull was at close
quarters. The rock was a huge isolated
boulder, ten or twelve feet across On the
outer, or pond side, the water was seven OF
eight feet deep. The rock was three OF
four yards from the Shore we had to wade
knee deep to reach it,
How that bull roared, The brute knew
he had us. His demonstrations would have
been amusing under other circumstances.
He bawled, he paved, he knelt and gored
the bank with his thick horns; he came
through the water to the rock, and putting
up his chin on the hlther edge of it, ogled
us longingly. The cuts which we gave him
with our rods he did not even deign to
notice.
He was prodigiously strong, tough brute,
with a curly white forehead foot in
breadth. The only thing that appeared to
disturb his equanimity was spashing water
in his face. He did not care for it enough
retreat, but it made him extremely angry.
But he could not climb upon the rock. We
stood on the rock and watched him for
some minutes.
81 can swim across to the other shore, "
bod remarked, looking about. 'What if
we take off our clothes pack them on our
| backs and swim over?'
| 1t seemed too long a distance. did not
quite like to try it. We took off our
clothes, however, and letting ourselves
down on the outer side of the rock, padded
about on that side. The bull watched us,
rolling his eyes and wrinkling his pink
nose. We went around the side of the
rock and spattered him, which made him
so furious that he advanced kis forefoot till
the water came to his shoulders.
81 wish we could get him in all over !"
! bod said