The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-09-17
The Strange Fish an Athlete Could Not
Lift.

GU look ike q likely heftcr, salu
an old. Maine fisherman in oil skins,
who was unloading doryful Of mack
erel at Deer Island, to lusty young man
in knickerbockers and a white flannel
shirt.
Yes" replied the young man. I'm
called pretty strong in the Skowhegan
Athletic Club"
Ibid you ever lift much fish," asked
the old fellow.
81 never saw the fish | couldn't lift.
The fisherman took out clean ten
dollar bill and said; "I'm going on
eighty-one years old next muster day,
but I'll bet ten dollars even you can't
lift fish that / can"
Where's your fish," asked Skowhe-
gan.
"Well, I'll tell you. Here's fish, ;"
and he poked among the mackerel, and
pointed to large, solid, skate-llke fish
in the bottom Of the dory. Lets see,
it's about five foot up to the dock. I'll
bet you the ten dollars you can't toss
the fish up there"
The Skowhegan athlete thus called
upon, deposited ten dollars with the
owner of the mackerel canning shop,
who had joined the party, and went
down the ladder into the boat, while the
old fisherman climbed upon the dock to
watch the feat.
Island back there" shouted the fish
tosser, rolling up his sleeve. This fish
might hit you, old man, and knock some
of the blow out Of YOU"
"Heave away" said the man in oil
skins, tipping wink at the crowd in
general.
The young man now stepped into the
dory, and poked away the tinkers (small
mackereD that were sliding about.
Standing on the edge of the boat, he
stopped down, grasped the skate-like
fish and lifted, raising it about foot.
Then, uttering a yell, he staggered a
moment and fell with a resounding
splash into the water, nearly capsizing
the boat in accomplishing the feat, which
was received with shouts of laughter
from the dock, the old fisherman fairly
dancing hornpipe on the rail.
whats the matter with you?" hi
shouted, as the unfortunate athlete
scrambled into the dory again, swearing
like pirate. Trying to upset the boat
are you?n
"Who struck me? Some one gave me
a knock on the neck just as l was lift
ing"
Nonsense" said some one in thu
| nrNu.J ..Va,, xuacv't fnrnbal ~
"I'll take my oath l felt something
hit me. Ii this is skin game l wan
to know it." Bracing himself firmly il
the boat he again grasped the fish il
both hands and raised it three feet, ant
then fish, athlete and all went owe
backward among the thinkers. Man
/ fish, oars and bailers were mixed up 70
a moment. At last the Skowhegal
litter made break for the dock, and
once upon it, sank down ON pile Q
boards, He was as white as sheet
and covered with scales from head t
foot.
Send for the apothecary," he gasp
ed, as the men crowded around.
why, what's the matter with'youP
1--WE had a stroke" whispered thu
victim. The minute 1 stopped to lift
feltlt a-runnin' all over me. It's in on
family, but I've got it bad" and her
he rubbed his arms and legs.
ut knocked me clean off my feet,
he added, land my limbs felt lik'
sticks. Send =" but here
roar of laughter broke from the men
and one Of them, Selling him by tn
arm. jerked him to his feet.
YOU'RE all right my lad; only mex
time don't 60 fooling around old Amos
He's hard NUT
Here's yer money, sonny" said tn
old man, holding out the bill, "you'v
earned it."
What do mean?" he continued
"Why, jest this: You haven't had
| shock of paralysis. They'll knock
I horse if you take 'em right"
The athlete looked vacantly ahead
took back his money, and left amid tn
renewed laughter Of the crowd.
"He'll have yarn to tell the Skow
hogan folks" said the perpetrator {
the joke, "but l hate to hear ma
blow, and thought I'd take him down
Injured? No, stree. He'll feel stiff TO
an hour or so, but it wont harm him.
whats the use of the shocks? Why
Ireckon they kill fish with 'em or driv
'em off,
The latter assumption is probabl
correct. The electric apparatus of tn
torpedo is its defense, and certainly is
good one, The electric organs may b
compared, to some extent, to the vo
taic pile, and consist Of two series {
layers of hexagonal cells, the interver
ing spaces between the plates bein
filled with a trembling, jelly-like sui
stance, so that each cell can be con
pared to Leyden jar. Each torped
carries about four hundred and eight
of these batteries, the whole being equs
in power to about fifteen Leyden jar
making $500 square inches charged
the highest degree. The upper side {
the fish is positive and the lower neg,
tive, the shocks seemingly being entirel