Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-06-21

able fly, and with long line we sent it pat
into the very place. II fell like a snow
fake. No trout should have hesitated a
moment. The morsel was delicious The
nimblest Of them should have flashed
through the water, broken the surface. and
witn graceful but decisive curve plunged
downward, carrying the insect with him.
Then we should in our turn. very cheer
fully have lent min hand, relieved him of
his prey, and admiriDg his beauty, but pity
ing his un,imey fate, buried him in the
basket. But he wished no translation. We
cast our fly again and again we drew 1t
hither aud lhither we made 1t skip and
wrggie; we let it fall splash, like sur
prissd miller and our audience calmly be-
held our fcats.
Next we tried ground bait, and sent our
vermicnlar hook down to their very sides.
With judicious gravity they parted, and
slowly sailed toward the rost OF an old tree
on the side OF the pool. Again changing
place, we will make an ambas sador of
grass chopper. Laying down our rod, we
prepare to catch the grass-hopper that is
in itself. no slight feat. The first step you
take at least forty bolt out, and tumble head
long into the grass; some cling to the
stumps, some are creeping under the leaves,
and not one seems to be in reach. You step
again; another flight takes place, and you
eye them with fierce penetration, as you
co I'D catch some one with your eye. You
cannot though. You brush the ground with
your foot agan--another hundred snap out,
and tumble abou in every drectien.
AT length you see very nice young fell
low climbing a steeple stem, You take
good aim and grab him. You catch the
rpire, but he has jumped safe rod. Yonder
is another, creeping among some delicate
ferns With broad palm You clutch him,
aud all the neghboring herbage too.
SteAlthly opening your little hnger. you
see his leg the next fingers reveals more
Of him aud opening the next you are Just
beginning 10 take him on, with the other
hand, when on, he bounds and leaves yon
10 renew your chronological pursuits
Twice YOU snatch handiuls OF grass, and
cautiously open your hand to find that you
have oury grass. II is very yexa'ious. There
are thousands of them here and there, Climb
ing and wrigging on thot blade, leaping of
from that stalk, twisting and kicking on
that vertical SPIDERS web. jumping and
bouncing about under your very nose, hit
+
and yet not one do you get. II any tender
hearted person ever wondered how a human
man could bring him 10 such cruelty as 10
impale an insect, le, him hunt for grass
hopper in hot day among tail grass, and
when at length he secures one, the aux ng
him upon the hook will be- done without
scruple, as mere matter OF penal justice,
aud Judicial aoleinnity.
Now, then, thu trout youder. We SWING
our line to the air, ind give II a gentle cast
toward the desired spJt, aud pun OF south
wind d. x.erously lodges il in the br slci oi
the tree. You pl iniy sec Il strike, and
whir over and over, that no gentle pull
ioosens it, YOU draw il a jerk up and pull
down; you give scfi : o. ninIbie twrches;
YOU coax il in this way sni solicit It IN that
way in vain. Then you stop and look
moment, first at the trout and then at your
Line. Was there ever anything so yeyaiions!
Would it be wrong to get wrong In fact,
we feel much like it, The very things you
wanted to catch, the grasshoper and the
trout, YOU could not bat tree, that You
lid not wan, you have caught fast nj the
fist throw. You fear that The trout viii be
scared You cautiously draw nigh and peep
down. Yes, they are looking at you, aud
laughing AS sure MS trout ever laughed.
They understand the whole thing. With
avery decisive jerk y'u snap your line, re-
cain the remlnt of it, and sit down to re-
pair il, TO put another hook, catch another
rrn.sboopcr. and move on down stream 10
catch trout.
Meanwhile the sun is Wheeling behind
the mountain, for you are Just at the east.
ern ridge OF Mount w ashing,on (not Of the
White Mountains, but ia Massachusetts
and Connccticut) Already rs oroad SHADE
begins to fall down upon the plain. Ihe
side Of the mountain is solemn aud sad. It's
ridge stands sharp against hre-bngnt no.
rizOa Here and there Tree has escaped
the axe Of the charcoalers, anu shagghy
marks the sky. Here and there through
the heavens are slowly sailing continents
,f MAGNIFICENT fleece mountains Alps ana
Andes of yapor They, too, have their
broad shadows. One you see cast upon
wander hill, far TO the east, while the bass
= radiant with the sun. Another cloud
shadow is moving with stately grandeur
aloou the valley OF the Housaton!c, ana "
Won rise to a little emnence yon may see
The brilliant landscape growing dull IN It's
Sudden obstruction on its forward line, ana
growing suddenly bright upon its rear trace,
How mniesticaliy does that shadow travei
up those steep and precipitous mounta'n
sides how it sweeps down the gorge ana
valley how it moves along the PLAIN
Bn, now the mountain shadow iscreeping
1 down into the meadow. 1t has crossed the
road where your horse stands hitched to the
1 ,alinp Of deserted little house. You for
Dc, YOUR errand. You select a dry, 'ulty
| knoll and lying down you gaze up INTO the
! sky. O, these depths ! Something WITHIN
/ YOU reaches out and yearns; you have
vague sense OF iaiu ty,--of vastness--oi
,hs Gt,leness of human life and of eternity
You people the vast ether. You stretch
away through it and tiul that Celestial Csty
h.vond. and therein dwell . how many
that are yours Tears come unoitden
You begin to long for release. You pray
Was there ever better closet! Under the
Let them laugh at your empty bask't. take
their railIery good naturally you have GER
tanly had good luck.
But we have not yet gone to the orooh
for which we started. That must be io'
another tramp Perhaps ones experience
Of ufaucy tackle and of fy-iishiag might
not be without some profit in moral analo,
g;es. nerhaps a mountain stream aud good
lnck in real trout may afford some easy sida
! .i,,.athnr ,nnrnttp hlp for n