Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-09-10
Eds. TltlenlnReni /.

| Eos. independent
1t was an evening in August, 1881 !,
when a happy band of young men
| started on fishing excursion. The
weather was fair and pleasant. The
burning rays Of the sun were tenn
pered by gentle evening zephyrs.
The only thing that married
our happiness was our inability to
obtain tent to shelter our aching
brows after the toll and labor OF the
day in catching -four. pound bass.
Bat this unhappiness was Of bat
momentary existence.
"Why, not rent a house, said
John.
"What with?" asked Frank.
81 will arrange that" replied Ed.
the less.
"Good," was the general response.
"A friend in need is a friend In
deed.
We wend our way with bright hope
Of successfully bringing to our beats
THAT is IL some kind friend will lend
us one), many fine bass, none less in
weight than four pounds. The roads
are dusty and all nature seems dry
and parched; but we care not for
| this, and are as happy and cheerful
as a spring morning, when all nature
is awake in joyous gladness.
On reaching our destination on
the banks of the Potomac, Ed, the
| less. informed us that he would find
a room and rent it, while we in the
meantime could secure a boat, &c.
We set out in search of boat but
our labors are fruitless, and gloom
| and disappointment overshadow our
bright hopes. A raft is suggested
by Ed, the great.
Acting upon this bright idea, we
go to work with renewed hopes and
soon gathered the logs, but a new
difficulty is presented--we have no
nails, no rope-what are we to do?
Frank helps us out the quandary by
advancing the primitive idea that
we tie it together with withes, and
soon the raft is completed.
We seat ourselves to await Eds
return. He soon appears, his BEAM
ing countenance assuring MS OF his
success lie stated, upon inquiry
from us, that he had engaged quar-
tiers, at fifty cents per week. One
of the party wanted to know where
the fifty cents was to come from.
But the undaunted Ed. put out Of
our minds further doubts by saying
he would pay the bill, even ii he had
to walk to Clearspring and sell bass.
All preliminary arrangements hav-
ing been settled-raft made, house
rented, &c.--we got down to bust
ness. Boarding our raft, we boldly
pushed off from the shore to the tune
Of Life on the Ocean Wave but
u change "came DER thesspirit of our
dreams.o The angry winds began
to blow, the lightning flashed, The
thunder roared. Aboard the raft
all was hushed, and our thoughts
revert to loved and absent ones far
away. The storm is upon us, and
Frank, ever ready in an emergency,
his voice rising above the storm,
shouts, "Pull for the Shore" We
pull-the withes give way, the raft
parts, and all are struggling III the
water. But as suddenly as the storm
came followed the calm, and all safe
ly reached the shore, with no other
damage done than the ruin OF Eds
Sunday clothes, which he greatly
lamented.
After the strom, on taking our
bearings, we find ourselves ut Little
Georgetown, and on the bank we
observe the king Fisher" who has
taken in our situation. Having
dried our clothes and refreshed the
inner man, we borrow from friend
Eli his boat, and accompanied by
himself, we row back to camp, and
soon thereafter our weary forms are
wrapped in slumber.
With the dawn Of morning friend
Eli puts in an appearance. Soon we
are again rocked on the bosom of the
mighty river; but this time we are
in boat, with good supply of bait.
We fish, but get no bite. Patiently
we sit all day under the hot beams
of the sun, but our labor is in vain,
not even a nibble to break the mo-
notony. Night draws on, our larder
is empty, and our finances so low
as to prohibit the purchase of pro-
I visions, we give away to feelings OF
hopelessness. But Frank gives us
slight encouragement by bidding us
wait till morning, when he will lave
the king Fisher" provide bass
enough to sustain life until we can
reach our parental firesides, and soon
our hungry and aching bodies found
forgetfulnesS in sleep.
With the advent of morning, the
liking Fisher" appeared, and in less
time than it takes to tell it, had us
savory breakfast of fine bass, to
which all did ample justice.
Concluding we had had sufficient
sport to last us for one year, if not
longer, we babe adieu to the Poto-
mac. Ed, the less, having failed to