The Press., 1922-12-14
EASY FOR SNAKES
Fisherman Was a Benefactcr,
 Though He Didn't Know It.
But for Chance Encounter, Mystery of Missing Catfish Might Never
 Have Been Solved.

I ] The fisherman had put nine catfish in what he called his preserve" on Saturday night, and when he searched for them early Monday morning. Witi' a view to succulent breakfast, he could not find one. The fisherman $ North Spectacle lake, on Kent moun- tain in Connecticut, and about fifty feet from his rough pine porch a spring bubbled with a constant sup ply of fresh water little way from the heart of the spring gully had been dug which was kept filled with ever-changing water, in which the fisherman kept his fish alive.
 The disappearance of the catfish was followed by an eager examna- 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- tery. There were only two eXplana tions, so far as the fisherman could see. the New York Times states. One was that thieves had rifieu 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 a great blan- ket. he set forth In his fiat-bOttOmed skiff; tied it to a stake driven deep in the mud, and then bafted several hooks with fat. anpetizing earth worms. An hour later he came back with twenty fine catfish and deposited them. stiIl alive and Hopping. fin the preserve.
 The next morning there were only ten. and the fisherman sw0re ven geance. In the afternoon he refreshed himself with a long nap and then, with a shotgun loaded with No 6 shot, stood watch over the preserve from the shelter or his porch. NOth- 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 fin his hammock under the trees and tried to fathom the mystery. He caught 15 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 near by bush, with occasional flutterings 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 vehementlS as she knew how. Bent on ridding the bird of the annoyance. whatever 1t was. the fisherman strolled toward her and suddenly Jumped back with a startled expres- sion. He had almost stepped upon a blacksnake five feet long and bigger in the middle than a fat mans wrist.
 BIacksnakes 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 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 ax and with 1t chopped the dead snake in two. Several catfish fiopped 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 ye beat t?" asked the fisher. man of his neighbors, and they re, piled:
 "We kin not"