The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1922-10-26
EASY FOR SNAKES
Fisherman Was a Benefactor,
Though He Didn't Know 1t.
But for Chance Encounter, Mystery
Of Missing 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
view to succulent breakfast he
could not find one. The fsherman'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 q
spring dubbed with constant sup
ply of fresh water. A little way from
the heart of the spring a 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 CROPPED 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 rifle0 his pre-
serve and the other was that the
"darned thing had sprung 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 shutdown, when
the shadows Of night were beginning
to creep over the lake like great blan-
ket he set forth in his flat-bottomed
skiff, tied II to stake driven deep
In the mud, and then baited several
hooks with fat, appetizlng earth
worms. An hour, later he came back
with twenty fine catfish and deposited
them, still alive and Hopping. h the
preserve.
The next morning there were only
ten, and the fisherman swore ven
geance. In the afternoon he refreshed
himself with 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
hammock under the trees and tried to
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 scoldlng dreadfully from a near
by bush, with occasional futterings
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,
whatever IL was. the fisherman
strOlled toward her and suddenly
jumped back with a startled express
sion. He had almost stepped upon a
blacksnake five feet long and bigger
In the middle than 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
llstless and disclosed anger at being
disturbed. Thereupon the fisherman
struck him sharply with heavy stick
and the snake squirmed for 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 woOdple, he got an
AK and with 1t 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 it, asked the fisher.
man of his neghhors, and they re.
Piled:
1--WE kin not"