Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-13
A FLY FISHERMAN.
The President Bons a Flannel Shirt
and Broad Brimmed Hat.
LANDING BLACK BASS BY THE SCORE.
An Alligator Shot by Secretary Phillips
Amid Much Enthusiasm and Won
derment-Narrow ESCAPE Of
Secretary Chandler.

KIsSINNEE, FLA, April l2-The Presi-
dent and party spent Monday night in the
steamer Okocho bee on the Kissimee river,
in the very heart OF the lower Florida re-
gion. After ne boat left the wharf at Ho-
pakalaga the executive disappeared in his {,
stateroom. as also did Secretary Chandler,
TO emerge few min utes later in the gsrb be-
fitting the climate andoccasion. The Presi-
dent wore flannel shirt, broad brimmed
hat, and began TO fish with fly. He
believed that a black bass would sieze
a yellow fly, and with the zeal
of fisherman he attached one 70 his line.
Thes he fixed his rod. Meanwhile Secre.
tary Chandler appeared in a linen duster
and helmet cap and cautiously eyed Secre-
tary Phillips, who was loading his gun for
an alligator. When the boat reached the
Kissimee river, the President very
carefully got down into a dugout, and
few minutes later the Chief Magistrate
was gently casting the yellow haeckle.
Soon he had bite. He played with the
fish for five minutes with stern, business
like expression on his face, and at last
landed
That settled the business for the President.
No snakes were in sight, the alligators did
not bsther him, the insects were not
troublesome. The air. though tropical was
balmy, and the President forgot his irrita-
tiOn Of the morning. Unlocking the black
bass with the smile OF an expert, he soon
had the haeckle out again, and before
evening had landed more fish than he
had ever caught in a day before.
Bv and by il became too dark TO fish, and
thepartyreturned to the steamer OSachooee:
Here at the stern of the eOat, in the breezy
night air, two beds had been fitted up--one
/ for the President and the other for Secre'
tary Chandler. In the gangway Mr.. Miller
/ and Secretary Phillips slept while ham
! mock was swung in the bow for Mr. Philip
| Clark, of London. By dawn the President
was up, eyeing his flies with the delight OF
a fisherman, and before breakfast the chief
! magistrate was out in dugOut in flannel
! shirt, broad-brimmed hat, and casting red
! spinner for an experiment. The hsh
! wouldn't Jump at the spinner, and he
/ changed again for yellow haeckle. Soon the
/ President stiffened up his rod, bent double,
/ which he held gently IN his right hand,
and reeled gently with his left. Secretary
! Chandler halloOed to him from the steamer,
/ but the President was deaf. After ten
minutes struggle with the game fish the
President landed a ten.pounder, and the
ioy pictured on his face was greater than
+, the biggest political victory would ever
have produced. Meanwhile, Secretary
| Phillips had his eye bound for alligators,
and at last saw pair of eyes in the water,
with his glass, about a, Thousand feet away.
Secretary Phillips put his rifle to his
! shoulder, and Secretary Chandler put his
fingers to his ears. Phillips took careful
aim, fred, and
The Alligator FIOpped.
They got the reptile into the boat and he
measured seven feet. Phillips was joyful
Secretary Chandler by this time was fasten-
ing a worm on a hook. He took no stock
in living fish, but wanted to catch as he
used to catch bullheads when a boy. He
got a bite that nearly pulled him overheard,
and he was greatly excited when he pulled
the first on board. At breakfast a dish of
boiled English spipe that were shot by Col.
Kreame. of Philadelphia, and a half dozen
groSback were set before the party. Mccall
finger had cooked them beautifully, and
Caret was served to was them down. The
President was anxious to get at the fish
again, and half an hour later he was again
in his dug out casting his flies. He was
perfectly happy. II is possible for the
next day or two nothing will be heard OF
the President, and may be too far beyond
the reach of the telegraph 10 make daily
communication possible.