The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1872-09-20
M s. @ eIlaneous
GREELEY VS. BLUE FISH.

The following amusing fish story is TAX
en- from a sprightly article, headed "a
Days TROLL" which we find in late num-
Der of The Turf, Field and Farm, jour-
nal devoted to all legitimate sport, and
from its high moral tone deserving of the
support it appears to have met with:
The only noteworthy incident of the trip,
beyond the constant pulling in of game,
was in catching the first three fish. The
ladies on board-we had three or four to
give color to our social rainbow-were in
clined to banter the gentlemen with regard
to their respective abilities with line and
sinker, and as compromise, it was finally
agreed that the first blue fish caught should
be named Horace Greeley. A Grant lady
on board thereupon suggested that the Sc
cond should be named after her candidate.
This was agreed to; but here comes the
strange part of the story, and, as the pen
ny-a-liners say, it is 'strictly reliable"
Horace Greeley, on being taken in "out of
the wet" Topped himself, with Characters
tic fidelity to first class temperance princi-
Piles, into the water we'll, and there remain
ed, seemingly satisfied at his return to his
original element. Ulysses Grant, on the
other hand, bad no sooner reached the deck
than he snapped the stump of cigar that
had been thrown aside, and working him
self up to bottle of brandy, lay there in
stupid and unconscious imitation of the
Presidential virtues ofhis illustrious name
sake.
The novel incident of course elected a
general "smile," and Uncle Dan immedi-
ately "backed up his cart" for another bot
tie of iced champagne. One of the ladies,
however, insisted on trying her luck, and
said, in her jocose way "Now I'm going
for Ben Butler"
"Better take spoon then" growled
Philo, who by this time had fully recover
ed.
"I'll do it," was the merry response, and
forthwith she had one of the cheap spoons
from our hamper, bent and trolling over
the side.
In minute or two there was twitch,
and, amid the screams of the party, the fair
lady hauled in one of the ugliest looking
"stingarees" that ever cursed fisherman's
luck. 1t was landed on deck, and no SOON
err released than it made its way straight
for the side of the tishy Present Taker, and
there lay painting and perturbed. He was
too horrible specimen of piscatorial mean
ness, however to remain long in any COM
pany, and much to the qualification of all
on board, was incontinently knocked on
the head, and left non c0mp0s mentis to die
in disgrace.
The singular coincidence was not with
out weight, for it proved as good as cam
paign document. On counting noses i'm
mediately afterwards, even the Grant lady
confessed her disgust for the finny monster
who bore the name of her favorite, lying
there with cigar in its mouth; and, vote
being taken, the party stood unanimously
for Greeley, 10; for Grant, o!
A broad smile rippled over the features
of Uncle Dan, and made its way down the
great shirt-front. He took an observation
of the sun through the bottom of sugar
coated glass, and said he'd be d-arned if
this wasn't the best blue fishing he had
seen for fifty years. 1t made man thirsty.
Philo seconded the motion in a more
quiet way, and leaned expressively against
a chrystalized concern that held about half
a pint of claret punch.
Your humble servant seldom drinks;
but allow him to say that he never crowd
ed such maximum of pleasure into such
a minimum of time in all the long days
that have contributed to make him
GREYBEARD.