San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1878-08-10

AoPt ASKING every DOuy else II ne nad
had a bite, and every body was guilty
of giving false alarms. As for Elsie,
she shrieked out, "a bite!" al every
provocation-whenever the current bore
unusually against her line, when the
floating hook dragged bottom or en-
countered twig.
''Jupiter!" said John, growing i'm
patient at the idle drifting of his cork.
~ can't stand this, Elsie. You girls
stop talking. You chatter like mag.
pies; you scare the fish. Girls ought mt
ever to go fishing.
Jacob Isaac snickered, and remarked
soto vooe: .
''He talks hissef, maw'n the res Of
the ladies'" Ih b. SAJ sK 4,
Elsie did not heed Johns attack. Her
eyes were riveted on her bobbing cork !;
her cheeks were glowing with excite
ment; her heart was beating wildly.
There was a pulling at her line.
Keep quiet!" she called. "I've
got a bite.'' Tsk.i guU@
You would have, if could get at
your arm," said John, who didn't be-
lieve she had a bite. B5qlQrt
"Ihave, truly she said excitedly.
"Look!" ...z, :..,- ...tr
All came tramping, crowding about
her. Tt".1 faafli' hH.
~ feel him pull" she said, eagerly.
"Well, get him out" said Luke.
"Shall I pull him or jerk himp" e.
sic was nearly breathless. ,'
elf knew about his size, I could
tell you,", said, Luke. eff he's, big,
give him a dignifed pull; if he's little
chap, jerk him; no business to be lit
tie" ATnE QC7NyD VbEIT1M
"Oh! I'm afraid it will hurt him."
said Puss. VS. .,','..'" 20, 81 90
"Out with him!" said Luke. o
"I'm afraid the line will break, :" said
CloloS OIL III 1ulN0A' Co.,. r..,
"No it WON'T" said John. ,la5a
"The rod might snap," said Elsie.
"Here, let me take the rod" John
proposed. .e rue, W.,
"No, no; I'm going to catch the fish
myself" Elsie said in vehement pro-
test.
"Then jerk, sharp and strong" her
brother said. lr ....
Elsie made ready; steadied her eager
brain; planted her feet firmly; braced
her muscles by her will; and then, with
a shrek, threw up her rod, cas- high as
the sky" Puss said. There was a fleet
ing vision of a dripping white-bellied
fish going skyward; and then a faint
thud was heard. sa. $50 n
"She's thrown it half-mile, or less,
in the bushes, 'said Luke.
All went into the bushes to look for
the astonished fish. They looked, and
looked, and looked; listened for its
beating and Hopping against the ground.
After while, Luke said he thought
it must be one of the climbing fish de-
ssribed by Agassiz, and that it had gone
up tree. a,j..fa ." 81. ~,
III mos found it twice't; but it was
a frog an a LIAR, stead Nv the fish,"
eaid Jaeoh Isaac ''r- .It ."t.i"i'. fI
To this day it remains mystery
where Elsie's. fish went to. All five
again dropped hooks into the water,
every body pledged to silence. "a.
For some moments the fishers sat or
stood in statuesque silence, eyes on the
corks. Then Jacob Isaac showed signs
of excitement. a
CPS got fish, shows yer bawn,'' he
called, dancing about on the bank.
"Let me see it," John challenged.
saint pulled it out yit,' said Jacob
Isaac, jumping and capering. ...l
What's the matter with you? What
are you cavorting about in that style
forP' John asked.
"Playin' 'im!" answered Jacob Isaac,
running backward and forward, and
every other way.
els that the way they play a fishP"
Elsie said, gazing. 81 never knew be-
lore how they did it."
She went over to where the jubilant
fisherman was yet skipping about, and
asked if she might play the fish while.
"Law, Miss Elsie! he'd pull yo' over
,oa'd! Yo' couldn't hol' i'm no maw'n