The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-09-12
SUNDAY FISHING.
TheEAdventures of LassParty of Sabbath
Breakers on Rock River.
MILAN, H.. Sept. II, 1878.


To thelEditor Argus:
There were four ofithem-allInice. stylish
young men belonging to- Rock Island.
They had previously arranged to 60 fish,
ing on Sunday. The Sunday before they
had gone tol Linwood. and deeming that q
dull and prosy kind of place, they resolved
upon providing for better time week
later. The most perplexing problem of
life with these young men is, how to spend
Sunday and have good time. They have
tried almost everything but going to church
and Sabbath school, but each returning Sun
day night inds them wearied with their
previously arranged programme of amuss-
ments, and coDjuring their brains to devise
plans for future Sundays.
Having thus agreed upon fishing ex-
petition, early last Sunday morning these
four men started in wagon for the banks
of the classic Rock river, intending to
form camp not far from Watch Tower.
Under the seats of the vehicle which con-
veyed them to the fishing ground, was an
eight gallon ksg of lager beer, and two
small baskets containing bologna sausagss,
crackers, ham sandwiches, pickles, and
other articles in the provender line intend
ed for lunch. Whatever else was for
gotten they all remembered that they were
likely to get dry and hungry. They did
not take any poles with them for the
reason that they wanted to conceal from
the public gaze the object OF their going
off thus together, and they expected to ex-
perience;no difficulty in being able to cut
poles from the woods. When they had
landed on the banks of the river and Sc
lected a shady spot to pitch camp, the first
thing they did was to tap the keg of beer.
The lager tasted so good to them-so
much better than when drinking by the
glass over the bar at saloon-that it was
quite long time before any suggestion
was made about fishing.
When once the subject ofs fish was
broached, all four of the party started in
pursuit of fishing poles. An extended
hunt through tie woods resulted in find.
ing two fence rails, small sized tree, and
hazel brush about four.feet long. This
was the best that could be done in the
way of rods. Now for the lines. Here
the discovery was made that only one man
lin the party had brought fishing line
] They each had depended on the other &c
supply this very essential part of fishing
outfit. One man had been thoughtful
; enough to procure hooks, but hooks were
of no account without lines. After de-
liberating over the affair for while, which
, they treated as good joke on somebody
three of them were quite emphatic in de-
claring that they didn't want to fish any
how; it was too DANCED hot,
The one fishing line was attached to ;
pole, and the Izaak Walton of the party
dropped his hook Tito the water aud com
menced his piscatorial labors But fo
fear he wouldn't get his share of the beer
he abandoned his fishing apparatus prett,
often to take a survey of the keg. /
e wasn't great while before the entir
? party were hilarously funny. The
laughed. told stories, made speeches
danced, sang songs and went through a.
sorts of gymnastic performances. On
0 man made q tearing speech In favor of tn
) Sixteenth street sewer, Harpers Oper
House, and condemnatory of the obstre
porous council, Another replied, uphold
ing the action of the Council, and pourin
J. in fusilade of abuse on the "bloate
r bondholder," closing his eloquent addres
. by oondemning the immoral tendencies {
= the theatre. The debate waxed warn
4 drinks between times were numerous, thel
we're two on each side, and the argumer
Z came near resulting in Touchdown.
u The man who was doing the fshiu
e couldn't get bite at any point along tt
Il 4 L. fToA Nh0S ~
y fish were all in the middle OF the stream
+ Ii could only get there he was sure
y catching some big fish. He resolved
wade. The water was verv low and
thought he could easily walk across tt
Il river and mot halt try" Divesting hin
Oh self of all clothing. save hat and coat,
Is essayed to wade through the treacherov
- water of Rock river. He found low wat
and good bottom for ten or twelve fe
from the shore, and by the time he h'
~ gained confidence in his ability to accom-
70 lish the feat, there was a sudden lun
If downward, scream for help ard both h
!. man aud fishing rod disappeared benea
the flood:
20 'Aud sinners washed beneath that flood,
u viii lose their guilty stains
u Help was soon extended by the use OF
Ill rail, and the uulucky fisherman was haul
to dry land more dead than al1
One of the party suggested bri
ging a tin cup OF beer and offeri
he it to the half drowned man, and
if he refused to drink, that would be positi
re evidence that he was dead, 50 they wou
proceed to bury him on the classic ban
Is of the river. He drank. He drank
re there was in the cup and asked for mo-
nd This was all the evidence required that
in had returned to his right senses and wasl
- injured. There wasn't any more FISH
y done that day. The balance of the d
an was SO we'll devoted to the provender a
us beer. that long before dark the keg "
NO empty and the lunch all gone. That eve
!. ing party of four young men could ha
''o been seen sitting in front of hotel in I
city, laughing for all that was out, and
counting their experiences as if they b
had one of the most delightful tim
be imaginable. BLACK HAWK.
NO II is the only medicine ] would give