The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-11-11
EASY FOR SNAKES
Fisherman Was a Benefactor,
Though He Didn't Know II.
But for Chance Encounter, Mystery
Of MlssIng Catfish Might Never
Have Been Solved.

The fisherman had put nine catfish
In what he called his preserve" on
Saturday night, and when he searched
for them early Monday morning. with
a view to a<succulent q breakfast, he
could not find one. The flsherman's
home stood close to the shores Of
North Spectacle lake, on Kent noun
tain In Connecticut. and about fifty
feet from his rough pine porch a
spring bubbled with constant sup
ply Of fresh water. A little way from
the hesrt Of the spring gully had
been dug which was kept filed with
ever-changing water, in which the
fisherman kept his fish alive.
The disappearance of the catfish
was followed by an eager examina-
tion of the ground near by, and then
cautious fingers groped beneath the
water, without being rewarded by any
discovery that would explain the mys-
terry. There were only two explana-
tions, so far as the fisherman could
see. the New York Times states. One
was that thieves had rifleo his pre-
serve and the other was that the
"darned thing had sprung a leak and
the catfish had got back to the lake"
But the latter proved to be ground
less, and SO the conviction was lodged
securely In the fisherman's breast that
his fish supply had been stolen.
He prepared to catch more Of the
fish, and just after sundown, when
the shadows Of night were beginning
to creep over the lake like a great blan-
ket, he set forth In his fiat-bottomed
skiff, tied 1t to a stake driven deep
in the mud, and then baited several
hooks with fat, appetizing earth
worms. An hour later he came back
with twenty fine catfish and deposited
them, still alive and Hopping, in the
preserve.
The next morning there were only
ten, and the fisherman swore ven
geance. In the afternoon he refreshed
himself with a long nap and then,
with a shotgun loaded with No. 8
shot, stood watch over the preserve
from the shelter Of his porch. Moth
ing happened during the night, SO far
as the fisherman could see, but when
morning came and he again counted
his fish there were only five. These
five were cooked and eaten for break
fast, and then, with his pipe aglow,
the fisherman swung lazily in his
no vouo ooly Y1pdor tha kraac ora %,do6 60
fathom the mystery. He caught 10
catfish that night, placed them in the
preserve, and in the morning there
were only two left.
The fisherman sat on a stump and
tried to figure the thing out. While he
thought, he observed that a thrush
was scolding dreadfully from a near
by bush, with occasional fiutterings
here and there, but with many signs
that flight was not dreamed of. What
troubled the bird was plain enough.
Some creature had ventured too near
her nest and she was expostulating
as vehemently as she knew how. Bent,
on Kidding the bird Of the annoyance,
strolled toward her and suddenly
jumped back with a startled express
sion. He had almost stepped upon q
blacksnake five feet long and bigger
In the middle than a fat mans wrist.
Blacksnakes are harmless and help
full in the garden because they keep
down many living things that prey
upon garden truck. And this snake
would not have been hurt If he had
moved out Of the way. But he was
listless and disclosed anger at being
disturbed. Thereupon the fisherman
struck him sharply with a heavy stick
and the snake squirmed for a time
and died. The fisherman gazed at
him remorsefully until he noticed
dead catfish lying near by, and then
his remorse turned to amazement.
Running to his woodpile, he got an
ak and with it chopped the dead
snake In two. Several catfish Topped
out.
Searching around, the fisherman
found three other big snakes which
he instantly sentenced to death and
then executed the sentence. All had
partaken Of catfish.
"Kin We beat itr' asked the fisher
man Of his neighbors. and they re-
Piled:
I'VE kin not"