Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-11-14
Shaking out Surgeons,

1t appears our friend was located on tn
! kennebec river, u few years ago, and had
number of hands employed about dam, an,
the sturgeons were very numerous and docile
/ They would frequently come poking thei
noses close up to the men standing in the wa
ter, and one Of the men bethought him how
delicious morsel of picked sturgeon was
and he forthwith made preparation t
"snake OUT clever-sized fish Getting al
iron rod at the blacksinith's shop. close a
hand, he bends up one end like a fish hook
and slipping out into the stream, he sill,
places the hook under tho stnrgenn's nos
and into its round hole of mouth, expect
ing to fasten on to the victimized, harmless
fish, and ''yank" him clean and clear out OF
his watery element. But, "lordy," wasn't
he mistaken and surprised! The moment
the hook touched the inside of the sturgeon
mouth, the creature backed water 50 sud
den and forcibly as to near jerk the holder ol
the hook s head from its socket. The poor
fellow was forty rods under water, and going
down stream, before he mustered presence OF
mind enough to induce him to let 90 the
hook
However, the lookers-on of this curious
manmuvre took boat and fished out their
half-drowned comrade. who concluded that
he had paid pretty dear for his whistle.
The sturgeon- catching did not end here. -
Aiter the laugh of the aforementioned adj
venture had ceased, somr one offered to bet a
hat that he could hold a stury ,on and snake
him clean out of the water and as the man
who hod tried the experiment felt altogether
dubious about it, he at once bet that the
sturgeon would be more than u match for
any man in the crowd
The wager was duly stakcd, rod crooked,
the operator tucked up his sleeves and trow-
scrs, and wad IS out to where u sturgeon or
two were lying off in the shallow wltcr.-
Of course the operation now bacam, Il mat
ter of considerable interest and as the man
was stout, hearty fellow. able to hold Il
ball by the horns, few entertained doubts of
his bringing out his sturgeon.
After IA long time the operator gets his
hook under the sturgeon, and leans forward
to stick it close into the Jaws ofthe victim; and
no sooner was that part OF the feat accom-
plished, than Mr.. Sturgeon "backs out with
the velocity of chain lightning. carrying his
assailant under water and down stream
The man held on; and there they went.
toamins and pitching. until the fellow, find
ing his breath nearly out of his body bis
neck, arms, and legs just about dislocated.
concluded TO lose the hat and let the hook
and sturgeon GO,
Pretty we'll used up, the poor fellow sue
ceeded in getting out of the river, convert
to the first experimental idea of the strength
md velocity of fish, especially a big stur
yeon.
Beginning to imagine that fish could swim
Or had some muscular power. several of the
bystanders were rife for experimenting on
the surgeons.
Another iron rod was converted into a
hook, and two burly-bult Paddvs volunteer
ID to hook the fish. An opportunity was
not long waited for, ere Il Jolly good elastic
nosed genus sturgeon came smelling up close
to where the Paddys had posted themselves
upon some moss-coyered, slippery stones. and
with sudden spasmodic effort, the man
with the hook planted it firmly into the sue
ton hole of the fish, while his comp,nion
held on to a rope fast to the hook. Before
Pat could say Jack Robinson, of course he
was ierked off his feet, and, letting 60 the
iron, the other Paddy and the sturgeon set
sail having all the fun 70 themselves This
proved. or v,ry nearly so. a serious demo ne
mNnt to the sturyeon-catching by hand, for
Paddy was carried clean and clear off sound
ings and 50 repeatedly immersed in deep
water. that his life was within an ace of he
ing wet Of his body. The rope parted at
last (p,or Pat never thought Of letting 90
his ''honld'), and being dipped ont of the
liquid element and rolled over IL barrel until
his insides We're cmptied Of the water, and
heat restored through the influence of whis-
key, he recovered. and further experiment.
on surgeons, that season, in the kennebcc
ceazcd. cd.-Hlmors Of Falconh7dyc
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How THE DEVIL WAS CAUGHr.-A good
many anecdotes have appeared in the papers
of late, of the Hard Shell Baptists, and we
have given place to some of them, not because
ofany want of respect for that denomination
but for the humor contained in them. As
an evidence of our disposition to deal with all
alike, we give the following, picked up a
few days ago:
Parson Larkin, worthy, but scdate old
divine Of the Methodist Church, met in the
road DO, Finks. a neighbor, who had neith-
er the fear of God, His Satanic Majesty, or
any other being before his eyes, and whose
love of fun was only equalled by an unfortu-
nate impcdiment in his speech, viz stutter-
ing
Good morning, Mr.. Finks,' said the par
son, as they met and reined up their horses
.G-gs-gs-good morning, p-p-parson, replied
Joe.
Any news?' quoth the parson.
'N-n-news? w-w-why, haint't you h-h-h-
heard ito
No. What is il .
'W-w-why, they c-c-caught the devil in
our neishbor-h-h-hood last night
You don tsay 50. How p
'R-r-run him into w-w-well.'
'Ah. How was he got out?'
'F-f-fshcd out
'F-i-fished out. Ifow?'
'T-t-took a b-b-big hook and l-l-linc and
b-b.baited it with a p-p-prcsbyterian,'
Did that catch him.
'N-n-no-thc d-d-devil only smelt of him q
l-l-little but w-w-would not bite
Then how?'
'B-b-baited with B-b-baptist.'
did they catch him with the Baptist?'
'N-n-no-he n-n-nibbled at him WV
while, but w-w-would'nt take hold.
What did they try next?'
'T-t-tried M-m-me ethodist, and the d-d-
devil g-g-grabbed him kl-like a t-t-trout
would m-m-minnOw.'
.Thatll do, Mr. Finks. Mind the devil
don't catch you, said the parson, by way Of
ldmonition, as he rode off.
.N-n-no d-d-danger, replied Joe, Il a-a-aint
M-m-methodist, and the d-d-deyil DON t