189.'). 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPEE. 



abruptly, "that you had the teys of heav- 

 en." 



"Why, Curran?" 



"Because you could let me in," said the 

 facetious counselor. 



"It would be much better for you, Cur- 

 fan," said the good humored priest, "that 

 t had the keys of the other place, because 

 I could then let you out." — Green Bag. 



THE LONG ROD POLE. 



The facts here related took place In the 

 northwestern part of Maine about the 

 year 1836, and although I was at that 

 time very young, indeed a mere child, yet 

 the peculiar character of the circum- 

 stances, the nei.Lrhhorhood excitement and 

 the Bad consequences which followed 

 made an impression upon my mind that 

 seems as frosh today as it did more than 

 BO years ayo. 



A few miles from my father's old farm 

 there lived two well to do farmers whom 

 we will call John and Calvin. They were 

 related by way of marriage and were once 

 great friends, but at the time my story 

 commences they were most inveterate en- 

 emies. Their farms lay side by side on the 

 county road, some few miles from the 

 Androscoggin river. For many years they 

 out their hay in silence, each one mowing 

 down to the dividing line with the preci- 

 sion of a master mechanic. Each owned a 

 hundred rods, and through a part of the 

 meadow ran a brook, which, like most 

 meadow brooks, was very crooked. 



Now, John thought it would be an ex- 

 cellent plan to ditch his 100 rods, making 

 the brook straight, and thereby saving 

 much land and making his field more 

 convenient and productive. So he con 

 tracted with a man named Redman to dig 

 100 rods of ditch at $1 per rod, beginning 

 at the lower line of his farm and follow- 

 ing down the stream to Calvin's line. 

 Redman came, and with his two grown- 

 up boys he went merrily to work and 

 John made him a rod pole for the occa- 

 sion; but, being of a treacherous disposi 

 tion, he made the measure a dozen inches 

 longer than usual, that he might get a 

 good return. In this he did not fail. 



Redman worked diligently for some 

 days. Calvin was interested in the opera- 

 tion and carefully watched the proceed- 

 ings, often asking Redman how many 

 rods he had accomplished and always get- 

 ting an honest reply. One day, as he 

 leaned upon his scythe, he called: 



"I say, Redman, how many rods have 

 you eot alona?" 



"Eighty.'" 



"Eighty! Well, you're getting along 

 fast." 



Now, Calvin saw at once that he was far 

 too near his line for 80 rods, and, musing 

 upon the circumstances, he decided there 

 must be a mistake. Knowing John so 

 well, he began to suspect, as he considered 

 the subject further, that John might be 

 trying to defraud Redman, so dropping 

 his scythe and crossing the line he sat 

 down near the rod pole and took off his 

 hat to cool and rest himself. 



"I say, Redman, this is hot weather " 



"Yes." 



While so sitting he took occasion to 

 measure the pole which John had made, 

 and to his delight he found it was just one 

 foot too long. Now, here was fun for Cal- 

 vin. Hero was a chance to plague his en- 

 emy. Did he go and tell Redman? No, 

 not he. He laughed quietly in his sleeve 

 and waited for Redman to finish his work. 

 This was done, and the honest digger pre- 

 sented to John his bill for $100, received 

 his money and went bis way. 



Very soon after tl^le was accomplished 

 Calvin discovered, to his great surprise 

 and indignation, of course, that some one 

 had been trespassing on his meadow by 

 digging a ditch about 100 feet long near 

 the line wliich separated his land from 

 John's. Sending to John, he demanded 

 if tliat ditch was dug by his authority. 

 John, not suspecting any trouble, replied 

 that it was. Receiving this answer, Cal- 

 vin at once started for the town and laid 

 his case before the village lawyer, who at 

 once saw that John had committed a great 

 wrong, knovvn to the law as willfully 

 trespassing on the land of a neighbor. A 

 writ was accordingly made out, and the 

 deputy sheriff of the county, so much 

 dreaded in those times, soon made his ap- 

 pearance before John, attached his proper- 

 ty for the damage done to Calvin's land 

 and summoned him to appear and show 

 cause. 



John was astonished. He visited the 

 field and saw at a glance that the ditch 

 was far over the line, and now for the first 

 time tlie awful thought flashed upon hiui 

 that in making his rod pole one foot too 

 long he had actually dug 100 feet into Cal- 

 vin's land. He stood aghast and then 

 hastened to find the rod pole that he 

 might destroy the proof of bis guilt, but 

 it was not to be found. He could not un- 

 derstand where it had gone, but when he 

 appeared in court there that ghost of a 

 rod pole met his astonished view. How it 

 came there none but Calvin knew, and he 

 was silent. The case was soon tried, and 

 a verdict of guilty was rendered, with 

 nominal damage and cost of court. This, 

 with the advantage of his enemy and the 



