The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-06-06
LETTER FROM FLORIDA,
GOOD WORDS FOR TIE DEMOCRAT-A
HUGE FISH STORY.

MIKEsvILLE, Fla, May &c.
Editor OrangeJury Democrat:
"When will wonders cease?" saij
81 o1l stage driver who had sever
a. a5scny ycrs and no JandJop. Sc
q few days since upon re.
ccivi" your paper, for was under
the impression that no sane man
could be found with Democratic Grit
enough to publish paper in Oran &C.
burg that was not of the "bloody
shirt" faith and order, SO hopelcssly
Republican have / considered youl
county. Would wish you success
from the very bottom Of my heart
but my heart is so mntilatcd from
the effects Of early love on the Edisto
that it would hardly be equivalent tc
the prayers of the wicked. But, joll.
ing aside, Mr.. Editor, 1 am much
pleased to see decent paper publish.
cd once more for the benefit of those
appreciate SO highly as l do the
citizens of your county, and hope
they will all patronizc it from South
Edisto TO Santee, and / further hope
you will make it q paper worthy their
patronage.
"Set rogue to catch q rogue" is
said TO be good philosophy, setting
iish--Pikc-to catch fish seems to be
quite MS good, if Middlcpen Plies
luck is fair specimen. One hum
drcd nice perch in two hours is not
to be grinned at by babies before
tcething. "Who can beat it?" asks
Pike. We'll, Mr.. Pike / will sec vour
pile and go few better, rs the poker
player says. During the winter of
1850 The mill pond OF Mr.. Jacob Nc
Alicllacl--bcttcr known as the sold
huntcr"-frozc over and remained so
for n week or more. This was on
Cooper Swamp, in the Fork OF Iidis-
to. The cold Hunter" slipped n
plank out on the ice, picked hole
through itvaand, baitcd thc fish for
several 5aysnwith bread, &C., keep
ing the hoe Open for that purpose.
Whentl!e weather n,:, !. q q a alittle.5
he invited your humble servant to
take fish, well knowing I'd accept,
no discount being on me at that
game. ''Now Tom," says tile Old
Hunter, "you walk out on that plank
(you will find it more pleasant than
standing on the icc) fish in that hole,
and as you catch, sling them over
here, III remain on the dam, take off,
bag the fish, and rcbait for you.
Nice arrangement. thought |, aud
with vim went at it. We soon had
over one hundred baggcd, and going
it ut the rate Of scvcuty-Gvc per hour,
when one large one fell from the
NOOK on (nc ice. "LOOlt OUT, said
| the Old Hunter, or you'll loose that
fellow, and It's Tie largest one
caught yet" l leapcd off the plank
to secure it, and failed, not to break
through, but TO get the fish. I soon
wanted warmer clothing, SO I quit
fishing and made for the back door
of the Old Hunters Cabin (front and
rear doors being open and biting
dogs tied when friends were abont
Had Lhe fish continued 10 bite as
they had for the last hour, l certain
~ would have caught one hundred
and fifty or more in two hours, had
not "wallicd off the plank" Fortu-
nately for me, the gators were in
"wintec quarters" or might have
fared worse than did Jonah when he
walked OIL into the Mediterranean Sea,
for there was some large ones in that
pond. In conclusion permit me to
say that with a rifle gun Of Mr. Wm.
lzlar's l killed twenty-six squirrels in
twcnty-seven shots in four hours by
the watch near Cannon's Bri dge on
South Edisto. Can you beat that
Mr.. Middlepcn Pike?
Mr.. Editor you will, no doubt, be
somewhat astoniShed, but hope not
offended, rs the young gents say in
their first epistlcs to new-found sweet
hearts, at seeing tLis communication
from stranger in this isolated part
of"Uncle Sam's" domain. Upon in.
quiry you will find that l was once
no stranger in your village, though
one to you. UNCLE To,.
|
Miss Matte Ireland and Miss Nc.