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b of policing the rivers was handed over to them. For the first time the w really had teeth in it and the old-time poachers found the business profitable. But who knows, if even yet, the odd salmon may not find way up on land, where it is quickly cooked and hastily devoured, and all tidence destroyed, with a healthy regard for the law and the R.C.M.P.?
’ SEED GRAIN
For a farmer in the old days to be caught in the spring of the year 'thout either cash, credit, or seed grain, was a very serious situation and lled for urgent and drastic solutions.
One farmer, on paying a friendly visit to his neighbor, who was sowing ain in a nearby field, was greeted with “What are you coming over here r? I did not steal your oats.” The farmer on returning home and checking
his granary, found that, indeed, he had been relieved of some of his :hoice seed grain. 1 Another farmer, who, when he discovered that grain was missing from iris granary, decided not to say anything about it to anyone, but to keep his ars open. Several months after, one of his “friendly” neighbors accosted ’m with , “Say, did you ever find out who stole your oats?” “Yes” he plied, “I’ve just found out. It was you.
In another instance, a farmer in bad need of seed grain, but knowing
's reputation in the home community was at a very low ebb, in fact, to he extent that he knew he was watched pretty closely, decided he had tter go farther afield. Accordingly he hitched up his team and wagon d drove for some miles before driving into a prosperous-looking farmyard.
e asked the farmer if he had any seed oats for sale, and being replied to in he affirmative, a deal was made for a load of oats, but as it was now Evoonday and dinner being ready, nothing would do but he have dinner, hich he accepted quite willingly. As the meal was about to begin, the visitor excused himself and asked if it would be all right if he said “grace before meat”, giving the impression that this was his daily habit. Of course he was granted permission, and after having done so the meal commenced, and the conversation continued on a high moral level, with all due respect
:"or the distinguished visitor. After having well eaten, the men repaired to the barn to bag up the oats, and when the load was on and neatly packed. the “buyer” put his hand into his pocket for his money-bag to pay for his ats. He became greatly agitated, and explained that he did not have his purse”, in fact, he remembered having put it on the sideboard and must
ve forgotten to pick it up. He would unhitch the team and jump the red orse’s back and go at once and fetch it. The seller, being completely taken
with the honesty of the buyer, would not hear of such a thing, and insisted
at he take the oats and payment could be made later. Consequently, e saw his oats disappear down the road, and he himself was left holding the
ag, in a manner of speaking, without either oats or payment.
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