Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-06-09
CHILDREN,S CORNER.
From st. Nicholas for June.
My First Trout.

From St. Nicholas for June.
My First Trout.
BY EDWARD w. CADY.
Now, there was not much trOut-fsh-
ing in the neighborhood where my
grandfather lived. In fact, no one
knew where there was any trout except
one old man, the landlord of the tavern.
He would take his horse and wagon,
drive off before daylight, and come
home with fine string of fish. He
never would tell any one where he went.
I went one day and said to him, conf
IDENTIFY:
"Mr. Dickey, I want to catch some
trout. Can you tell me where to go?'
"Why," he said, Ego up along Bull
brook, and you'll get sone."
I knew, by the way he said it, that he
wasn't telling me where he went. Still,
I made up my mind would go to Bull
brook and try there. Bull brook was
about three miles from the village, with
not single house for miles around. 1t
was a lonely place, full of thickets, and
was called Bull brook because a great
many cattle we're pastured about there.
Early id the morning, / started of
with my pole, which being jointed
could he carried very conveniently. I
trudged along the road, which kept
winding and growing more and more
lonely and dismal, on account of large
beech-trees and poplars and gloomy
looking pines which grew along the side
Of the road, and almost shut out the
sunlight. / felt little afraid of meet
ing cross bull, but I whistled lively
tune, and marched on bravely.
At last arrived at the brook, and got
over the stone wall at the side of the
road. There was a thick growth of
bushes along the edge Of the stream, so
that [ had to walk some distance before
| found an opening where [ could get
close to the water. Everything was so
still that felt rather nervous and IL
most expected to see fierce bull rush
out upon me from somewhere. Crickets
were chirping, and different kinds of
insects were buzzing and humming.
No other sound. But bark What was
that? A splash in the brook.
A bull-frog, thought I. I looked in
to see if I could discover him. There
he was in the bottom of the shallow
brook. No, on closer inspection that
was not a bull-frog. It couldn't be a
fish, for fish swim around, and this little
dark thing, whatever it was, was lying
quite still on the bottom.
Just then, while I was wondering
what it was, grasshopper, which had
jumped by mistake into the middle of
the brook, went kicking along on the
top Of the water. In an instant there
was CLEAN just where the grasshopper
was swimrning, and before you could
say sJack Robinson" the grasshopper
was gone. l was no longer in doubt
about the queer thing at the bottom of
tie brook. It had disappeared. I knew
it must be trout.
"Ahr' said I to myself, "I'll catch
you, Mr.. Trout Then won't the folks
in town be surprised, and wont they
want to know where I caught him -
I actually believe I thought more at
that moment of what the people would
say than [ did of catching the trout. 1
was quite excited. / trembled all over.
[ captured a grasshopper, and my hand
shook while [ was putting it on the lit
tie hook. [ got behind bush and very
carefully lowered nay line until the
bait touched the surface Of the water
[ was terribly excited, as much so as
if the brook was big cannon and tie
the bait touched it there would
be tremendous explosion. There was
an explosion, but of different sort.
A plunge, splash, and I gave jerk
strong enough to tear the bottom of
the brook right out.
[ went heels over head backward on
the grass, and, on scrambling to my
feet, looked eagerly to the end of the
line to see my trout. But no trout was
there, and what was more, the grass
hopper was gone.
What fool l was, said to my
self, g to tear the line out of the water
in that way, ana scare all the fish.
Now [ wont catch any, and the people
will laugh at me when [ get home %
[ caught another ggasshopper, and
tried again and again, but it was of no
use. Tie fish were evidently frighten-
ed My feelings, from the highest
pitch Of hope and exultation. were re-
duced to those of despair and chagrin.
[ almost cried. [ hated to give it up;
so [ tried little further down the
brook.
This time the grasshopper lay undis-
turbed on the top of the water for sew
eral4 minutes, and was just about to
pull him up and try somewhere else,
when there was ripple in the water
a splash The grasshopper disappeared,
and there was jerk on my line! I,
too, gave jerk upward. Oh, how de-
lightfully hard the line pulled up And
then, as l whlsked my pole round
toward the land, there came out the wa
Ter silvery, sparkling fish In mo-
ment he was lying on the grass-my
first trout
How walked around him and gazed
at him. and admired his beautiful spots,
in the sun
No more fishing that day. I had my
fish. 1t only remained now to get
home If was in the r,oid11n of fho