The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-05-06
HENRY WARD BEECHRR,S ACCOUNT
OF THE FIRST TIME HE WENT A
FISHING.
From the Star papers Of the Christian Union-l
1.-THE OLD sAwATLL."

OF THE FIRST TINE HE WENT A
[From the Star papers of the Christian Union.l
1.-THE OLD sAwAEIL.
Oh, that blessed dayi
What was that? Fourth of July
General training day? Thanksgiving?
Christmas None of all these. Far
more important to our heart was the
day when we first went fishing alone.
Whether we had permission we CAN
not at this late period certainly deter
mine. We presume, from the recollec-
ton of no anxiety, and from the distinct
remembrance of general exhileration,
that we had dispensation on that day
to roam.
There is vague impression, too, of
digging worms, of putting piece of
Irvine Oh to O pole. Then went we
forth eastward toward the river Bantam.
Now the river Bantam was to our young
heart what the Jordan was to a good and
patriotic Jew. 1t was the chief stream
in our neighborhood. 1t was the chief
resort for swimming purposes. For,
though it was hardly knee-deep, and in
many places, easily jumped across, yet,
there were pools, and notable one,
called Lords Hole" doubtless from
Litchfield family of the name of Lord),
where small boy could go in ''over-
head" 1t was one of those clear brooks
"a mere brook, which mostly brawls
over pebble-stones, now and then widen
ing into quite a sheet, and then, like
men who have been too generous, grow
ing narrow again, and deep. Along its
banks grew alder bushes in abundance,
and here and there great trees reached
their branches over the stream and
watched themselves in the water below.
Not a great way above Lords Hole
was the ''old sawmill; ;" not that there
was then mill there, or even a mill
dam, but tradition said that there had
been one, and the legend was probable,
inasmuch as two steep banks on either
side, sloping up some twenty feet, seem
ed to have formed the wings of dam !;
and the water made a fall as if under
meath, there was the remains of some
obstruction.
On the blessed day above mentioned,
bare-footed boy might have been seen
on June afternoon, with his alder pole
on his shoulder, tripping through the
meadow, where dandelions and wild
geraniums were in bloom, and steering
for the old sawmill, AS soon as the
meadow was crossed, the fence scaled,
and a descent begun, all familiar objects
were gone, and the oVerpowering con-
agination into dance of fear. Could
we find our way back? What if a big
bull should come out of those bushes
What if great big man should come
along and carry us Off To q siX-year-
old boy these were very serious matters.
And nothing could have so we'll tested
the eagerness of our purpose as perse-
verance under these soul-bewildering
suggestions. For, realities, in after life,
are seldom SO impressive as magma
tons are in early life. A child's fears
are cruel. They are to him the signs of
absolute realities, and he is quite unable
to reason On them, and is helpless to re-
pei or endure them. The fears of our
own childhood constitute a chapter of
mental philosophy.
But no sooner did we see the sparkle
| of the water than our soul grew calm
again and happy.
Now, for the first time in our life, we
put on a worm. We threw in the hook
and trembled all over with the excite
ment!
The hook and the bait fell upon the
wrinkled water, went quietly down the
stream, and swept in near the shore
| where some projecting stone rooted
over little pool. Out of that pool oul
little eyes saw something dart, and ouI
| little hands all a-tremble, felt something
pull. In an instant, with spasm of en-
ergy, we drew back the line, there was
a fash in the air, a Wiggling flash, and
something smote the rocky, graveIly
bank behind. Scrambling up, we found
a sinner, but, alas, smashed to pieces
Soon another and another Jared in the
same manner, and it was long before we
could subdue our nerve so as not to dash
the fish to pieces. Our courage grew
every moment. What did lCe care il
there was bull in the bushes? What
if Il beggar man should come along
What if great black dog should-but
that thought was a little too serious
Black dogs were terrOrs not to be lightly
thought of, even by a six-year old ur.
chin, who had caught fish, alone, too
And so, gathering up two roach and
three sinners, we started home. Up the
sloping hill we ran, till our fathers
house shone out from among the trees
and then, with the dignity and noncha.
lance of a conqueror, we prepared to
make tFiumphal entrance. But here
as often happens in the "reminiscences OF
our childhood, the vision falls. We can
recOllect nothing of our reception
Since then we have fished in many 6
stream and lake, and in the deep sea-
but never with half the eXhileration Of
that first joyful hour upon the Bantam
Not even there, again, would the fire
be rekindled! For, not long after, tax
ing younger brother, to be marvel.
ing witness of our success, We went
again to the old sawmill. The air was
disenchanted. The roads and bushes
had no spirit in them. The brook CUR
kgled and rushed. We caught our fish, &
few, but without craze, and came sol
EMMY home, wondering what the reason
could be that the first time could be had
but once.
since then we have seen many grown
up boys seeking to reproduce the first
sensations and to make novelties per-
petual. But each day must provide its
own first times, Those of yesterday
are shrunk and faded.