The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-05-15

Jones, solicitor. 1t was just barely
possible that there might be country
practitioner of that name, country So
lictors only appearing under the head
inc of their respective towns; but after
looking through all the big towns 1
could lind no one of my own name ex-
cept myself. Ny first impression was
doubtless right, that the paragraph had
been inserted as hoax, and 1 smiled to
myself as 1 thought how the engineer
had been hoist with his own petard, his
intended coke having been received
as a substantial verify. But then an
other thought crossed my mind, and
made me extremely uncomfortable.
Perhaps this anonymous joker was only
biding his time. Perhaps he was only
lulling me into false security, and.
when he thought his Joke" had gone
far enough. would write to the paper
again and say that Marmaduke H.
Jones did not catch the big pike. after
all-and a nice sort of position should
be in. then! No, he had chosen to de-
clare that had caught big pike, and
l was by this time more than half con-
WINGED of it myself. If the story was
not true, why, it ought to be true, and
l was determined that for all practical
purposes it should be true. l made up
my mind that, come what might, 1
would stick to my fish. (The reader
will perceive that l was now becoming
hardened in crime.) felt that L was
now master of details. The pike was
twenty-four pounds in weight; he was
caught at Tenbury; and he was caught
by spinning. Secure in this knowl
edge, l sailed forth with head erect,
feeling that [ could not now very well
be caught tripping. But pride comes
before fall. Almost the first person
met was an old acquaintance, Jack
Broderip. 'Hullo, Jones'" he said, Il
haven't seen you since you caught that
big jack
SIT wasn't jack, O." l replied, sit was
pike
"Well, pike is a jack, he rejoined,
isn't it?" l began to stammer out
something in reply, when he continues:
Il forgot, by the way, you swell sports
men only speak of ur-pounders and
such small fry as jack. l apologize for
abiding to your big fish so disrespect-
fully, but l assure you it was quite I'M
intentional. BY the way, how did you
catch him? Live bait, SUPPOSED"
''Live bait, of course" l said. l
hadn't notion on the subject, but as
he seemed so cock-sure, l thought it
better not to contradict him. "Spin-
ming, you know"
Spinning" he exclaimed, ''with
live bait! That's novelty, isn't it?"
"Well, believe it isn't exactly gen.
eral," said, modestly.
'.If you say it, of course it must be
the thing to do. shall note that as a
wrinkle But 1 should think it was
rather awkward to work. If it isn't
secret, how many hooks do you have on
your tiight?"
The question obviously implied more
than one. 20, about twO," | said,
timidly.
Two hooks only! All, two triangles,
you mean. Whose flight do you use,
then? Pencils, or the Thames or
the Francis or something of your
OWN"
"Well, to tell the truth" (Which it
certainly wasn't, "a little arrangement
of my own"
something special, eh? Well, 1 sup
pose these are professional secrets, so
pump you too much. By the
way, it was at Tenbury, 1 think, the
event came of. Now, whereabouts is
Terbury?"
This was poser. Tenbury might
have been in Owyhee, for anything l
knew. Twas obliged to make leap in
the dark.
- 80! Tenbury, you know, Down
berkshire, is it? 1 thought it must
have been Tenbury in Worcestershire.
There is aTenbury in Worcestershire, l
am pretty sure. Tenbury in Berkshire,
Ell? Good fishing there, SUPPOSED"
Pretty fair" | said, with the air of
a man who didn't think anything under
a twenty-pounder worth mentioning,
and at the same time making 4 mental
to look up the geography
of Tenbury without delay. Il must ask
you to excuse me now, for I'm in a des- /!
perate hurry. l have an appointment
at the Taxing Office. Good morning"
He wished me "Good morning." look
ing, however, rather hu!fv at my abrupt |
and 1 went into a stationers !
to buy the A b c Guide. l found that |
Tenbury was in Worcestershire, and de-
termined to stick to that county in an
swering future questions. l met three !
or four more acquaintance that after |
noon. All of them were full of my big |
fish, and showed disgusting appetite |
for details. answered their queries as
well as could, but l felt that l was
getting deeper and deeper in the mire !
at every step. and that l must manage |
to acquire little more knowledge on |
the subject.
On my way back to the Office l bought !
two or three treatises on fishing; but 1 ;
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 |
ecOnomize time, as it was nearly my |
hour for going home, invited him to /
dine with me en- fanatlle. We walked |
home together, and dinner was half |
over when he suddenly said:
"By the way, Jones, that was a tre-
mendous catch of yours down Tenbury
way-that big pike, eh''
My wife looked up surprised, for she
had heard nothing of my apocryphal
80, nothing particular, said, try
ing to turn the conversation; 'the
thing has been much exaggerated.
Nothing in it, assure you"
''All very well for you, my dear fell
ow. suppose you are such sports
man that you make nothing of a five
FOUNDER; but we outsiders.
who don't get such luck, think a good