Norwich bulletin., 1922-08-18
CvSr4ttsu Specially For The BuIlstin.)

CHrttten Specially For The BuIletin.)
 This world is full of mysteries, from The question, 'fWho struck Billy Platter son?o to the puzzle why Woodrow would row his boat up Salt Creek
 To one venerable hayseed up in the foothills. the biggest cause for a won der in the whole shebang Is why men and women. with ordinarily good eyes. manifestly capable of seeing several inches ahead in a straight line. can't or won't look beyond their own noses.
 I've long ago given up wondering why folks won't be good. So long as hu- man society continues to assert and prove that virtue Ia its own-and only reward while house-boats. Rolls-Royces, senatorships. diamonds. etc, are the ad- vertised rewards of the other thing-why, so long as this continues one can't too harshiy blame weak human nature, for turning is back or the husks and head Ing towards the more sppetizing tables.
 But why should it, at the same time, give the cold shoulder to common sense and. as I have said, refuse to look be- yond it's own stubbed-off nose2 That's what gets me.
 No. I'm not thinking of big things, such as the world war or the next pres ldential election. I'm thinking of little common. everyday matters; of daily do- ings by individuals of minor things. if you choose to call them so. Though why any form of blunder-headed short . sightedness should be called minor I am not clear.
 Take, if you please. one small local instance.
 Two or three miles from my home a beautiful little lake nestles among the wooded hills It is easily accessible, a good road running along one side of it and near to one end. On this end only a narrow strip of young woods in tervenes between the lake and the pub lie highway Of course, the shores of inc lake are mostly private property and |. large portion of them is already giv- sn up to bungalows and cottages and amps for summer guests who flock to he lake from neighboring cities during July and August. But the end where the narrow strip of young woods separates The water from the roadway has for many. years been open to the general pub lie Anyone. passing by and attracted by the spot, might stop and picnic or even pitch a tent and stay over night. No fence barred entrance. It was a daily Godsend not only to scores of nearby residents who wanted an occa- sior1al swim or a day of picnicking and fishing, but also to other scores of tour sts
 That has been the situation for many years. Last summer, when I had occa- .. sion to pass the lake frequently, the roadside was almost always lined with waiting cars and the little woods full of merry parties, enjoying their lunches or basking in the beauty and comfort of the 2 scene. But 1t isn't so. this sunmer.
 Now. a prickIy barbed wire fence runs between the road and the shore-border- Ing thicket. Across every pathway lead Ing into 1t boarded ballks are nailed up bearing decidedly inhospitable inscrip- lions. One placard forbids entrance for fishing or bathing. Another warns INC ,respass 70 in huge. black letters. Anoth- I sr announces on the top board Private D Property" and three times on the three iower boards. Keep outr' Keep Out 7 70 'seep Outt''
 Nc. the strip hasn't changed Owners -- No. the former owner hasn't gone crazy q No. he isn't mean nor playing the part p of any dog in the manager.
 He has been driven to this course ir 2 seh-protectien against the free picnick- I, CTS and the free campers, who were themselves mean" and who anruaIly !, played. not dog-iB-the-manger;" but hog-in-the-manger along the alIurinl strip of boseage to which bis friendH hess had admitted them
 didn't need to ask him the reason Tor his fences and his placards. I hat seen that reason growing in enormity a for several years. Indeed, had some times wondered at his forbearance Therefore I promptly understood when
 saw the change.
 Of course, 1t must be assumed tha some of the campers and picnickers wer, decent and gratefully appreciative peo pie who cleaned up their muss afte- them. But there were plenty who didn't The picnichers usually brought thei lunches with them in pasteboard boxes and wrapped in various kinds Q paper. When their own fun was ove they cranked up and went their ways leaving the ground filtered with ragge. N papers, with busted boxes, with half