I have been having a ball reading through about 100 old newspapers of my
home town from when I was growing up. We often talk about the innocence of
times back then. I laughed so hard when I came across one particular item
from 1959. On the front page of the newspaper there was a large notice
posted by our police officer, who us kids called Barney Fife. It was in
large print and surrounded in a dark bold box. It said Warning: Police
Chief Lesley Stabbs wants all people to stop hunting night crawlers after
dark. It appears people are out after dark hunting for night crawlers on
other people's property and in doing so they are stepping on flowers and
other plants on the property. Officer Stabbs says this illegal behavior
must stop immediately.
Now I am guessing there must have been an ordinance for this. Maybe it was
Ordinance 345 -N "Illegally hunting night crawlers after dark."
A few months later there was another story about Officer Stabbs. It was in
the winter. It appears he just left his house to go out on patrol, which
didn't take very long, as Dorchester had a population of 495 back then, when
some kids came to his door and told his wife they ran out of gas and asked
if she could give them a dollar for gas. When she took out her wallet they
threw snow in her face and grabbed the wallet and ran.
Now I can state categorically that I had nothing to do with stealing the
police chief's money, but I will admit I was guilty a time or two of
illegally hunting night crawlers after dark. I admit it openly now as I
assume the statue of limitations has ended for hunting night crawlers
illegally. I hope this admission doesn't change how you dear folks feel
about me. I must say that I feel so much better having getting this out in
the open. I have been living with the guilt of illegal night crawler
hunting for fifty years now. Whoever said confession is good for the soul
certainly was right. I know know how Aunt Bee felt when she told the
visiting Reverend that she was wearing a wig.
Kenneth G. Anderson
2906 May Street
Eau Claire, WI 54701
715-839-8470
www.mayberryreflections.com
[email protected]
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