Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-10-24
THE rRAvELLINo oRocERYMEN.
He Falls in with Three Mysterious Bass
and q Piuus Old Gentleman.

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Lackawaxen. said John Gilbert, the
travelling grocerymen. Il was watt
ing there for train. That's about
all people do up there. Every time
I've been TO Lackawaxen the whole
town seemed to be out waiting for q
train. When the train comes they
wait until it goes away, and then
they go home again and stay until it
is almost time for the next train,
when they come back and wait for
that train. 1t may be four hours late,
bur the town doesn t leave the depot
until it comes
well, | was waiting for train
this day, and as by no way that /
could figure il could it get there under
three hours. | concluded to take a
walk over by the river. That is one
thing up at Lackawaxen that won't
wait for a train or anything else. 1t
is the Delaware River. and it keeps
going right on toward the sea al
ways like to luok at river that keeps
rolling along on its way toward the
sea, and so | walked over to gaze on
the Delaware. | strolled up and
down the river bank a while, aud
then noticed canal that crossed the
river by big yaduct. / walked up
the canal bank and watched the boats
go by They were loaded with coal.
Thirsting for Information, / finally
said to boy who came along on a
mule. wearing his fathers trousers
rolled up to his knees:
Where is this coal going to, my
little man p
"'To market, pop = be replied.
Then | watched more boats, and,
not being able to still my longing for
knowledge, by and by | said TO q
man who was working the tiller of
one Of the boats:
How many tons DO you carry ?,
As NANNY, begorra, as amy boat
that rooms this detch =
"Surfeited with formation, l re-
turned to the river walked up
and down, and presently | saw pine
peg, which was driven in the sand
near the water There was string
to it
Wonder what that is p said to
myself,
Not being able to answer the
question, | went and pulled the peg
ont of the sand. The string came
ous Of the water pretty hard, and l
found that three big black blass had
got fast on it in some way through
the gills. There was no mistake about
il. There was the peg, there was
the string, and there were the bass.
alive and kicking.
WELL | says that's certainly
the funniest thing / ever did see.
81 had heard OF eels travelling over
land from one pond to another; perch
that climb trees were old acquaint
saDces of mine; catfish that swear at
you like troopers when you take them
from the hook / bad seen and heard.
But bass that could come out Of the
water, string themselves like these,
srose the peg Id the sand, and get
hack in the water again, was more
than / could explain When | go
back home and tell this says, 'peo-
pie won't believe me, and then I'll
feel bad
$50 | looked around to see if there
was any one near that could enlight-
en- me on this curious circumstance.
/ saw no one but q pious-looking old
gentleman, who was fishing along
the river quite way below. As he
was SO intent on his sport that he
seemed obIivious to all around him.
/ didn't like to disturb him Ia bis gem
tie recreation, and SO walked hack to
the hotel and told the landlord that
be might cook the bass for my sup
per. He did, and they were good,
After supper | went down to get the
train. There was q pious-lot king,
white-haired old gentleman there,
with fish-pole on bis shoulder. He
seemed to be very, mad As | got
on the train I heard him say
Yes. sir, by the jumping jimmi-
nyI Three old sockers, and III give
Sc 10 know what in became oil
<'eml'
That man amt as pious as be
Looks, / said as the train pulled out
And then the thing struck me ell d
sudden, and said I'd bet anything
that the nhite-haired old man bad
found some bass that had strung
themselves just as mine had, and
that then bed gone and lost 'em some
way or other
Say, don't il beat the Old Harry
how these funny things will keeE
happening 70 me =
ITnrla Gn0rra $50 you are study