The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1884-05-15

by spinning. Secure in this knowl-
edge, 1 sailed forth with head erect,
feeling that L could not now very well
be caught tripping. But pride ZONES
before a fall. Almost the first person
/ met was an old acquaintance, Jack
Bfoderip. .Hulla, JONES' he said, al
haven't seen you since you caught that
big jack"
d pike"
"Well, "a pike is a jack" he rejoined.
isn't itP" 1 began to stammer out
something in reply, when he continued:
81 forgot, by the way, you swell sports
men only speak of four-pounders and
such small fry as jack. apologize for
abiding to your big fish so disrespect-
fully, but 1 assure you it was quite I'M
intentional. BY the way, how did you
catch himP Live bait, 1 supposep"
"Live bait, of course" I said. I
hadn't a notion on the subject, but as
he seemed SO cock-sure, l thought it
better not to contradict him. 'tSpin-
ming, you know"
'!Spinning," he exclaimed; "with
live bait! That's a novelty, isn't itp''
"sWell, I believe it isn't exactly gen.
eral," I said, modestly.
eff you say it, of course it must be
the thing to do. 1 shall note that as a
wrinkle. But 1 should think it was
rather awkward to work. If it isn't a
secret, how many hooks do you have on
your fight?"
The question obviously implied more
than one. 20, about two," [ said,
timidly.
1.-TWO hooks only! All, two triangles,
you mean. Whose flight do you use,
thenp .Pennell's,' or the Thames or
the Francis or something of your
ownp"
swell, to tell the TRUTH (Which it
certainly wasn't,) 'a little arrangement
of nay own"
Something special, Ell? Well, I sup
pose these are professional secrets, SO !
mustn't pump you too much. By the
way, it was at Tenbury, I think, the
event came off. Now, whereabouts is
Tenburyp"
This was a poser. Tenbury might
have been in Owyhee, for anything l
knew. Twas obliged to make a leap in
the dark.
Berkshire way"
berkshire, is itP 1 thought it must
have been Tenbury in Worcestershire.
There is aTenbury in Worcestershire, 1
am pretty sure. Tenbury in Berkshire,
ehP Good fishing there, 1 %supposeP"
pretty fair" l said, with the air OF
a man who didn't think anything under
a twenty-pounder worth mentioning,
and at the same time making a mental
memorandum to look up the geography
of Tenbury without delay. II must ask
you to excuse me now, for I'm in a des-
perate hurry. l have an appointment
vt the Taxing Office. Good morning."
He wished me ''Goodmorning," look
ing, however, rather huffy at my abrupt
dismissal, and I went into a s%tationer's
to buy the A b G Guide. / found that
ETenbury was in Worcestershire, and de-
termined to stick to that county in an
swering future questions. / met three
or four more acquaintance that after
noon. All of them were full of my big
fish, and showed a disgusting appetite
for details. l answered their queries as
well as I could, but l felt that I was
getting deeper and deeper in the mire
at every step, and that l must manage
to acquire a little more knowledge OF
the subject.
On my way back to the Office | bought
two or three treatises on fishing; but
had barely had time to open them when
a valued country client, Mr.. Culpepper,
came in. He had important business
to discuss, and was compelled to leave
town again the next morning; so, to
economic time, as it was nearly my
hour for going home, l invited him to
dine with me en- fdnlilLe. We walked
home together, and dinner was hall
over when he suddenly said:
"By the way, Jones, that was a ire
mendous catch of yours down Tenbury
way-that big pike, eh?"
My wife looked up surprised, for she
had heard nothing of my a%pocryphal
achievement.
SO, nothing particular" 1 said, try.
ing to turn the conversation; ''the
thing has been much exaggerated.
Nothing in it, I assure YOU"
"All very well for you, my dear fell
low. L suppose you are such a sports,
man that you make nothing of a five
and-twenty FOUNDER; but we outsiders
who don't get such luck, think a goot
deal of it, l can tell you. But where
was-itP The papers said Tenbury, ant
Brown told me the same thing, bur
Philpotts assured me that he had i
from your own lips that you caught i
at Sunbury, and Tompkins was just a.
certain that it was at Newbury."
80, Philpotts is mistaken; I nevel
told him anything of the sort; and a
for Tompkins, he's-he's lost hi
mother -in-law lately, and forget
things-he doesn't know what he il
talking about"
At this point my wife struck in. Mrs
Jones is a very charming woman, blu
the least bit inclined Cher only faulty t.
be Jealous, and she has an exaggerated
not to say morbid, idea of the perfec
confidence, or rather confidentialness
which should exist between HUSBAND
and wife. I don't perceive that sh'
tells me much, but she expects me t.
tell her everything. For the last mo
ment ortwo she had been looking from
me to Culpepper, and from Culpeppe
to me, in a manner which denoted, OIL
the matrimonial barometer, stormy
s.Mr. Jones! Marmaduke! this i
something l am not to know, / suppose
, What is it all about?"
Mr.. Culpepper put on his blandes
smile.
:. so, you know all about it, my dea
, madam. was only referring to you
husbands great catch-the big fis.
that he hooked at Tenbury."
!, "tMr. Jones! Tenbury! and a big fish
Mr.. Jones hasn't hooked a big fish o
any other fish,"
| Culpepper felt that he had someho,
put his foot in it. 1t was obvious t
him that for some reason or other MR.
5 j. had been kept in Ignorance of tn
r big fish. and he did his best TO retriev
his error.
Didn't he, really? Then I mus
J, have been mistaken. Some othe
: Jones, perhaps. It'snot an uncommo
, name"
"No, MI. C%ulpepper! 1t is verygo
v of you to endeavor to screen him. ]
' is a point of honor among you men,
believe, to shield each other; but 1 ar