The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-08-17
THE STORY OF A SCAR.

! "You promised to tell us some time
how you got that scar on your forehead,
uncle"
Yes, boys, but the story is SO little
to my credit that have felt rather in
clined to put it off. However, I'll tell
it now' perhaps it may do you good
perhaps not
They do say all boys quarrel. If that
| is SO l don't see aUby it should be so.
No good comes of it, but harm very oft
en-. | don't believe all boys do, but my
brother George and did, or / should
not now be telling you how | got that
scar. - s8
We lived, you know, on the banks OF
the Susquehanna. Do you know the
meaning OF that Indian name is s.Wind-
ing River" 1t is well named, for, be-
sides its greater winding as shown on
the map, described by school-boys of
my days as "a zig-zag line in the form
of the letter NJ" its whole course is full
OF the loveliest little curves and bends,
some gentle, some abrupt, all beautiful
and leading on and on to new beauties.
l have heard old travellers say that some
OF its scenery is unsurpassed. by any,
thing In the way of quiet river land
scape. 4. s.agl.I-s
Well, the boys who are so fortunate
as to live along such rivers have good
times. There is fishing in all its Varle-
ties, with line and with net and with
outline-you don't know what outline
fishing is? We used to take half-inch
rope whichwould reach, say, half across
the river. Along this at intervals of
about ten feet were tied pieces of fish
line perhaps two feet long. These were
hooked and baited and then one end Of
the rope, or outline was fastened at the
shore to some underground branch or
root, the other being anchored as far out
IN the river as it would reach. There
was nothing very sportsmanlike in this
style Of fishing, but it was by no means
poor fun to GO in the early morning in
boat along that line (Which was put out
oyernight) and pull up each short line
with the chancesof finding perch,
" club" pickerel, or, possibly, but not
probably, a bass on the end of it. How,
good those fish tasted for breakfast! i
Another way was to spear the fish, at
night, with a fire of pitch-pine knots
made in an old dripping-pan mounted
on pole fixed firmly to the side of the
boat; don't know whether bows Of to-,
day use what we did then, kind of stuff
winch we bought, in the shape of small
black shells, like cocoa shells, only
larger. These we threw into the river
when we first went out; the fish ate them
eagerly and they had an Intoxicating
effect on them. for they would rush and
splash about in the water, making it /
easy for us to find them. l have since
thought 1t was cruel advantage to take
OF the poor things who knew no better
than. to take that into their stomachs
which would lead them to ruin-unlike
beings blessed with sense Cor. hare thew
senseP) who do the very same thing,
knowingly
1 did not. in those days, think much
OF the picturesque feature of this sport.
but well remember the, glow on the
trees and the CLEAN on the water.
think we might easily have been taken
ior some order of ferocious night goblin
IN the red glare with our formidable
All! was it one of those gave Won
the scar?''
No, I am coming to that II came
through much tanner way of fishing.
The long bridge which crossed the river
near my home was very old one, the
piers being built in the old-fashioned
way, not of stone or of heavy open tim
Der work, as we see now-a-days, hut !
more like wooden boxes, pointing. of
course, an inclined plane up stream. but
having the lower end open. Thevwere
partly filled in with loose, rough stone.
These piers were favorite resorts for 4
quiet, unambitious fish when we had
nothing more venturesome on hand.
We would row out to one of them. oct
inside and fish as long as we could Get
good bites, and then move to another.
must have been about eleven wears
Did and my, brother George two years
older, when we went one morrning ont
10 one of the piers near the middle If
me bridge: George had poor luck, and
alter a while proposed to try some other
place. 1, however, was having good
many nibbles, and refused. Then he |
wanted me to exchange poles, but 1 /
would not do that either n
Wei, " he presently said, "you |
nay stay here if you like. but shall |
AXE the boat and go where I can catch I
something"
:. You may do as you please I said.
ssDo go with me, Ben f.8
No-look there" Iierked a suck I
r out OF the water and laid him wrig-
sling on the stones. NO trouble /
lbout catching fish here" / added. I
'ather spitefully, as took him from the
look. - 'o
George angrily got in the boat and
owed away. shouting back to me:
,an" De''
. Don't trouble yourself about me.
I'D cranky" / answered. I did not
mind at all being left, for / knew he
you'd come back for me when he cooled
Town. / fshed for an Jour or so when