Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1893 — Maine Fishing. [ARTICLE]

Maine Fishing.

Maine as a marvelous fishing ground for “the Boston folks” is by no means a new idea. Allen Merrill, of Dexter, the jovial stable keeper and long time deputy sheriff, was once a participant in a fishing adventure that made the eyes of some Boston visitors to that town stick out with amazement. It was way back in the early days of the village when he was “a little chick’’ of a boy and worked in Favor’s Hotel, a hostelry then the pride of the town, but for many years well-nigh forgotten. The Boston "fellows were in the bar-room in the evening, and were feeling pretty smart, when Favor, who was a great joker, said-to them: “I’ve got the smartest boy there is any where round, and I’ll bet you $5 he can sit down right in the middle of this room and catch a fish.” The bet was promptly taken and Favor said: “Come, Allen! Get your hook and line.” He did as he was bid, and in a minute Favor raised a trap door in the floor, into which he dropped his hook. In less than two minutes he drew up c plump shiner. The “company”, were completely taken back at losing their money, but on investigation they found that the end of the hotel jutted over the bed of the mill stream, so that the fishing process vyas an entirely natural one. The Summer hotels at the fishing grounds might take a hint from the incident, and locate so that city guests could find “fishing on the premises.” —[Lewiston (Me.) Journal.