The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-06-25
CONFESSION OF AN AMATEUR AT A
s'FIHH FRY"

Covrssror, La, June 20, 1877
Dear Democyat-If you never attended fish
fry you should come TO Covipgton and inquire
for "the boys" who will generally be found rep
resented ut ''the corner" You will find no
difficulty in the world. "Ths boys" will get you
up an excursion impromptu, and 70 with you be-
sides. They will drive you over more pine roots
in an hour, and furnish better music, and more
Of it to the mile, than sny boys in the State. |
have tried 10. There were the mayor elect and
the mayor defunet, tho sheriff and chief deputy.
the doctor, and the only invalid in town tthe in
valid didn't ''fsh" much, bnt came in powerfully
on the "hy"), and several other distinguished
civilians.
A drive OF three miles brought us to Horse
Shoe Bpripg-so CALLED because there is nothing
like horseshoe about it--when the parties at
once separated and unfnrled the seductive hook
and line. The gentle thermometer stood at about
81 deg, but there was plenty OF shade. The
river like most rivers stubborDly took it's conrse
through densely wooded bottom, where can-
herring vines of richest foliage and interlaead
limbs and twigs festooned the trees and earess-
ipply fondled even the old hulks and limbs OF the
decayed and time shattered giants OF the forest.
"The winds we're dead" "a Byron once remarked
In certain case of "Darkne.s." OF course the
winds were dead How could any breath OF air,
however enterprising, get through such . net
work OF verdure2
Now. II one could only persuade one of these
stubborn rivers to skip over the hills or glide
limpidly along over one OF our piney woods roads
where there are no vines or bushes and q nice,
cool breeze, itlwould be so much more agreeable
TO fish in. But they never will do il; we threw
our hooke, with luscious 'sswyers" impaled there
on. into shady nook and squared ourselves for
results.
The situation was picturesque. We felt it's ro.
mantio influences gently surging In our soul, and
the streams OF warm perspiration gently trick
ling down our reportorial face and overspreading
our entire person.
The chirping Of the forest songsters over our
heads lent music to the air, while the gentle
but determined buzzing of the fierce galliDipper
brought muaios home TO every exposed inch Of
our person in manner peculiar to these regions.
As q truthful chronicle, it must be recorded that
there was much unnecessary English used on
that OCCASION and hooks, bobs and lines became
mixed with the graceful festoons of nature, above
referred to, in manner not justified by the at
taeks OF the finny tribe upon our seductive ''saw-
yers." But all delights pail after eager indul-
gence--except the delights of the noble gHllinip-
per. We fually put up our lines and started
for ''camp" by short cut through the upland
pines. to the utter disgust and indignation Of our
hitherto attentive frionds, the "nippers' II was
in vain that o small chorus Of ten million
screamed in our care that we were abandoning
noble pastme and leaving one Of natures
eweetest sylvsn retreats. We replied with brutal
indifference that we wouldn't throw line again
that day IL we could catch the original Jonah
whale out Of the garden streams of Paradise.
The party, meeting Mt camp, counted over one
hundred fishes, which the skill of our professeurs
de cuisine coon served up in most appetizing
style, hsnked bv BALI dozen bottles of clsret
made ice-cool in the spring, and sustained by
other good things most literally supplied by ''the
boys" A pleasant ride to town, accompanied
by music" ended our first fish fry.
d.. La,