The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-07-11

suddenly darted through the lines Of
the enemy, and with its tail signifi-
cantly cooked aloft, bid adieu to Mt.
Ayr, and sped away on the prairie.
The excited masses gaSed with mute
astonishment for a few moments and
then retired in good order. But not
80 with Alden and Laughlin-their
blood was up and their heads set on
the capture of the little innocent
Away they scud out on the broad
prairie, at . magnificent pace, until
they were lost to view ir the luxu-.
rant grasses that abound around
Suffice it to say that that their chase
was unnvailing and tho rabbit still
hives. ~ And now comes the fishing
story: l8lf x a,3 tsgb Z
About thrcc miles from Mt. Ayr,
our ambitious hunters discovered a
little pool, fed from a little marsh
above. Little bubbles manifested
themselves on top occasionally, and
Ed, who had had some piscatorial
experience on, the historical banks of
Grand River, declared his belief mat
there was fish there that would weigh
twenty pounds! Accordingly, as
narrated to us by Doctor Stoope,
they returned to tho village, where
tho fish story soon spread Itself
A public meeting was called, and
11aughlin, who regarded himself, by
reason Of being party to the discov-
cry, as second only to Kane, Tho Arc.
tic Explorer, delivered a flaming
speech. "See,' said he, "the ever
watchfnl care Of Providence. Our
granaries are empty, our buffalo meat
Liz exhausted, and tho rabbit was too
much for us. When, the. rabbit es,
capped, some Of you murmured and
despaired, but that little animal was
"a mysterious instrumentality, aMo.
SEES of deliverance, leading us into
pleasant places. Friends, learn from
this event, to always be .humbly re-
conciled, whatever sky's above. The
bloom will soon return to our chill
dreD's checks; the savory incense of
our kitchens will watt its way to the
stuck up noses of the naughty. Alton.
|ians, who will soon learn to do us
homage. They have y railroad, but
we've got q fishery! Where will they
get their fish for expectation? aha !!
we've got them now! Finally, friends
be of good cheerl Let US pursue our
ancient ways, always remembering
this injunction sConsider the lilies
of the valley; they toll not; neither
do they spin; yet Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one Of
these" ~ Y
Here, blind man by the name of
Stranahan, proposed three cheers for
the lilies of the valley.
Romans moved an amendment, sub
shutting tone cheer for three, say
| ing that the latter was too much of
an cxertion in their present enfeebled
condition. The amendment was &C.
Young moved that 4 commute. al
lis be appointed to collect means to
purchase seine. Carried.
Alden moved that the people Of
/ the village, en- n,asse, meet under the
cnrb apple tree in the squareto make
| tho seine. Carried. I'sssla- Z
The COMMITTEES canyassed the vil,
lagc, raising 65cts., with which two
balls of kite string were purchased
and in pursuance Of Alden's motion,
they assembled ut the place designa.
ted. The next morning, the villa.
gers proceeded to tho lake, armed
with baskets, buckets, bags, &c. -
Arriving at the point, the multitude
seated themselves. Laughlin, Alden,
Beall, and Young plunged into the
Ipool with the seine. they dragged
and rc-dragged, but each time emer-
ged from the water without fish, It
was then suggested that ROby pro-
cced up the marsh, and with stick
drive the fish, down to the pool
Agreeably, u erewith, Koby rolled up
his trowsers and went in, beating
the water right and left, and making
a great spluge generally. The sein-
ems went in again, but alas! nary fish
Topped himself about in bondage
Despair returned again. One old
coon looking reproachfully at Laugh
lin. said chow are you Moses"
In this emergency, what was to
be done, "There arc fish there, and
I'll bet a hundred dollars on it." said
Alden, "Go up to my store" he con-
tinued, addressing Stranahan, sand
get two patent pails-we will dip It
dry
i Stranahan started on bis errand
while the crowd waited beneath a
verticlc sun-thcrmometer 100 in
the shade. In the meantime ho re.
turned. The crowd commenced dip
ping, and in q short time the water
: was exhaused. At tho bottom, snug
and partially buried, three tndpolea
were wiggling in the mud! And 50
ended the fishing excursion Of Mt
4 Ayr. 0s -,.. :tft ,lt
4 PoTATo Buas.-A correspondent
ofthc Chicago Journal, writing from,
i Wisconsin. says ....a.s Ei.E.{
+ a.There is asfcarfof struggle with
the potato bug. The. crop, in many
places is completely spoiled, and
though the farmers beat them off into
basins and burn them, yet they hold
on their deadly ravage. Too great
care cannot BE taken in handling
these deadly bugs. A. gentleman
mashed few with his fingers, and