The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-07-17
Times Changes.

Times Changes.
l fixed myself and went out trout
fishing on the only original Kinnickin-
nick river last week. 1t was kind of
Rip Van Wrinkle picnic and farewell
moonlight excursion home. / believe
that Rip Van Wrinkle, however, confin-
ed himself to hunting mostly with an
old musket that was on the retired list
when Rip took his sleepy drink on the
Catskiils. II he could have gone fish,
ing with me last week over the old
trail, digging angle worms at the same
old place where left the spade stick
ing in the grim soil twenty years ago
if we could have waded down the Kim
nickinnick together with high rubber
boots on, and got nibbles and bites at
the same place, and found the same
old farmers with nearly quarter of
century added to their lives and glist-
ming in their hair, we would have had
fun no doubt on that day, and head
ache on the day following. This af-
lords me an opportunity to say that
trout can be caught successfully with
corkscrew. | have tried. I've about
decided that the main reason why so
many large lies arc told about the
number of trout caught all over the
country is that at tho moment the
sportsman pulls his game out OF, the
water, he labors under some kind of an
optical illusion by reason of which he
sees about nine trout where he ought
to see only one.
wish l had as many dollars as /
have soaked deceased angle worms in
that same beautiful Kinnickinnick.
There was little stream made into it
that we called Tidd's creek. 1t is still
there. This stream runs across Tidd's
farm, and Tidd twenty years ago
wouldn't allow anybody to fish in the
creek. / can still remember how his
largo hand used to feel as he caught
me by the nape of the neck and threw
me over the fence with my amateur
fishing tackle and willow ''stringcr"
with eleven dried. stiff trout on it.
Last week thought would try Tidd' S
creek again. 1t was always good
place to fish, and felt the same old
excitement, with just enough vague
forebodings in it to make it pleasant.
Still, had grown q foot or so since /
used to fish there, and perhaps could
return the compliment by throwing the
old gentleman over his own fence and
then hiss in his own ear RE
v-e-n-g-e! -"
had got pretty we'll across the
"'lower forty" and had about decided
that Tidd had been gathered to his
fathers when l saw him coming with
his head up like q steer in the corn.
Tidd is q blacksmith by trade, and he
has an arm with hair on it that looks
like Jumbo's hind leg. felt the same
old desire to climb the fence and be
alone. didn't know exactly how to
work it. Then I remembered how
people had remarked that had chang
ed very much in twenty years. and
that for homely boy had grown to
be a remarkably picturesque-looking
man. 1 trusted to Tidd's failing eye
sight aud said:
"How are youp'
He said: ''How are youP" That did
not answer my question. but didn'i
mind q little thing like that.
Then he said: Il s'posed that every
pesky fool in this country knew l don'i
allow fishing on my land"
THAT may be-" says l, ''but ain't
fishing on your land. / always fish in
damp place if l can. Moreover. how
do | know this is your land? Carrying
the argument still further. and admit.
ting that every pesky fool knows that
you didn't permit fishing here.
/ am not going TO be call.
ed pesky fool with impunity,
unless you do it over my dead body"
He stopped about ten rods away and
became more fearless. II don't know
who you are, ;" said 1. as took off my
coat and vest and piled them on my
fish basket, eager for the fray. You
claim to own this farm but it Is my
opinion that you are the hired man,
pui1cd up with little authority. You
: can't order me off this ground till you
show mo duly certified abstract o
title and then identity yourself. Wha
| protection does a gentleman have if ht
| is to be kicked and cuffed about BY
! every Tom. Dick and Harry claiming
they own the whole State. Get out!
Avaunt! If you don't avaunt pretty
quick. I'll kidnap you aud sell you TO a:
medical college"
ment. then he said he would go and.
get his deed and his shotgun. l said
shotguns suited mo exactly. and told
him to bring two Of them loaded with
giant powder and barbed wire.
would not live always. l asked not
to stay. When he got behind the corn
crib climbed the fence and fled with
my ill-gotten gains.
The blacksmith in his prime may
lick the small boy, but twenty years
changes their relative positions. Pos
sibly Tidd could tear up the ground
with ms now, but in ten more years. if
improve rs fast as he fails, shall
fish in the same old stream again.
Bill Nyc, IN Mew York Mercury.