Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-07-04
Fishing ON Horseback.

Half dozen OF the brethren were
spending the evening on the piazza of
the cozy little Excelsior hotel. Bea-
verkill hostelrie to which many fisher
men resort for day or two. Four
were from New York and two were
native and to the manor born. One
of the New Workers, an energetic
specimen of the genus drummer, and
a pleasant fellow, too, led the talk of
the moment. Naturally enough it
soon fell upon fishing. One after
another had something to say about
the trout not being so plentiful nor
so large as they once were, till it came
the turn of the second native, Jake
Simmons. He had merely listened
while the others talked, but when q
lull came he dropped in with:
"Times is changed, boys, an that's
a fack. l don't go fishin' any more
myself, but when l wuz a boy ther'
wuz fishin' in the old Beaverkill thet
wuz fshin,' an no mistake. Eff emmy
O you Workers had been round yer
about thirty year ago ye'd hev seen
trout wuth takin' tn amt many O
that sort now."
"Come, jake" said the drummer,
"let us hear what sort of sport you
had then. But no lies, now; nothing
but solemn facts. l never could stand
fish lies, anywhere"
Jake waited q moment and ther
said:
81 want brought up to tell lies
about nothin', an l amt goin' to be
gin now, The best fishin' ever saw
on the Beaverkill wuz about thirty
year ago. One afternoon, after {
pretty smart fresh in the river, my
mother sez to me: Jake sez she
'th' amt much vittels in the house, 81
/ guess we'd better get some trout
Fetch out old Daisy, an we'll g
fshin'.' When the talk wuz abou
fishin' | didn't need no second tellin'
so / had old Daisy out in a minnit an
mother'n' me went down to the river
| had lot O worms ready in boz
at the barn, an took 'em along
General jackson came along too"
Here the drummer interrupted with
"Who, in thunder, was Gen. Jack
son ?"
"That wuz our old dog'n he wuz N
fool dog. nuther. Well, l led oil
Daisy up 'longside some logs'n moth
er she mounted the critter'n got u
behind. Mother she had the fishpol
an / had the worms'n it didn't tax
more'n about two minnits to get t
the right spot"
$50 you took out old Daisy for
ride of two minutes, eh ?" said tn
drummer. Jake paid no attention
but went on
1--WE wuz at the spot in two minnit
an Daisy went right in with mother
me on her back. The old mare know
ed what was up, an stopped when sh
got to the middle. Ye see, the fres
had made the current powerful strong
an would knocked us clar off'n ou
feet eff we had gone in on our ow
pins. But old Daisy jest stood tina
ez stedy ez stun wall, with the waite
up to her belly. Mother was to d
the fishin' n my business wuz to tax
off the fish n put on bait. Wei
boys, didn't have no time for foolin
Every time the old woman droppe
the line, snap came big trout; whis
it went past my head, n / had all
could do to keep from tumblin' Off
old Daisy while grabbin' at it. /
= half an hour l reckon we must hay
, had more'n fifty pounds o the fines
| trout ever yanked out O the Beave
, kill"
"Where did you put them, if yo
were on horseback Z" asked the drum
er.
ooh, Gineral jackson, he locke
out for that. just slung 'em to I'll
bank after takin' 'em off n the hool
an he picked 'em up'n dropped 'el
into 'tater basket that held nearly
bushel. 1t was splendid fshin', I te
r ye, n old Daisy, she had some, too"
"The old mare, eh? How W,
| that?"
: "She snaked out some good on,
+ with her tail. Before we went fishi
. she had been in a patch, whar tn WI