Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-05-15

Itnu u ntIplnS mana. Ana Jnere was al
ways this possibility present to him-this
sense of power.-as he made those minute
inquiries of his into the conditions of the
lives of those amongst whom he CHANGED
to be living.
The short winter day was drawing to a
close; the brilliant steely blue of the
driven water had given place to vivid
gray, and the faint CLEANS of saffron yell
low were dying out in the western skies.
"Suppose we'd better be going home
now" Mr.. Hodson remarked ut ven
ture, and with no great disappointment in
his tone.
Ppm afraid, sir. there's no much
chance now" Ronald said.
I'VE must call again; they're not at
home to-day" the other remarked, and be-
gan with much complacency to reel in one
He was doing so slowly, and the men
were as slowly pulling in for the shore in
the gathering dusk, when ,Dhirr! went
the other reel. The loud and sudden
shrek in this silence was startling thing,
and no less so was the springing into the
air, at apparently an immense distance
away, of some creature, kelt or salmon,
that fell into the water again with a
mighty splash. lnstinctively Mr. Hodson
had gripped this rod, and passed the other
one he had been Keeling in to Strang.
There was no time to be lost Whirr!
went another dozen yards of line, and
again the fish sprung into the air, this
time plainly visible
"A clean fish, sir a clean fish ~ was
the wecOme cry.
But there was no time to hazard doubts
or ask questions this sudden visitor at
the end of the line had not at all made up
his mind to e easily captured First of
all he came sailing in quietly toward the
boat, giving the fisherman all he could
do to reel in and keep a. strain on him
then he whirled out the line so suddenly
that the rod was nearly bent double; and
then, in deep water, he kept perSistently
sulk!ng and boring, refusing to yield an
inch: This was temporary respite.
well, now, is this one all right" Mr..
Hodson called out. But he was rather
| bewildered, for he knew not what this
violent beast might not be after next, and
the gathering darkness looked strange,
the shadows of Clebrig overhead seeming
o blot out the sky.
"A clean fish, SIR" was the confident
answer
NO doubt o. that, sir" even the melan-
choly Duncan admitted for he foresaw
dram now, II not tip in actual money.
Then slowly and slowly the salmon be-
gan to yield to the strain on him-which
was considerable, for this was the heavier
of he two rods-and quickly the line was
got in, the plant curve of the rod remain
ing always the same, while Mr.. Hodson
fiattered himself that he was doing very
Ing the master of the situation. But the
next Instant something happened that his
mind was not rapid enough to compre-
hend: something dreadful and horrible
and sudd' II: there was whirring out of
he reel 50 rapid that he had TO lower the
point Ofthc rOdalmost tot the water then the
lish made one flashing spring along the
surtace-and this time he saw the Great
ure, CLEAN of silver in the husband
then, to his unspeakable dismay and NOR
titication, he felt the line quite slack. He
did utter little monosyllable.
He's off, sir" the melancholy gillie
said in tone of sad resignation.
Not bit, sir-not bit Reel in,
quick" Ronald called to him and the
fisherman had sense enough to throw the
rod as far back as he could to see if there
was yet some strain on it, Undoubtedly
the fish was still there. Moreover, this
last cantrip seemed to have taken the
spirit out of HIM. By-and-by, with a
strong, steady strain on him, he suffered
himself to be guided more and more
toward the boat, until now and again they
could see faint CLEAN in the dark wa
ter and now Ronald had relinquished his
oar, and was crouching down in the stern
this time not with the landing net in his
hand, but with the bright steel clip just
resting on the gunwale.
Hes showing the white feather now,
sir; give him little more Of the butt"
However, he had not quite given in yet
each time he came in sight of the boat, he
would make another Intellectual rush, but
rarely getting down deeper than three or
-four yards And then, with short line
and the butt we'll toward him, he began
to make slow semicircleS this way and
that and always he was being steadily
hauled nearer the coble, until with one
quirk dip AMI powerful upward pull Ron
aid La GOT linn tranStXed on the gaiT and
lauded-the huge, cleaning, beautiful sill
a i'm a "a he
well done, sir "a clean ti>h "a
beauty the first caught in scotland this
year, | know these were the eXClama
tons he heard now. But he scarcely
knew how it had all happened, for he
had been more excited than he was aware
of. He felt a vague and general sense OF
satisfaction; wanted to give the men q
glass of whiskey, and had none to give
them; thought that the capture OF q
salmon was noble thing, would have
ings at once and had IA kind OF genera
purpose to devote the rest OF that year tC
salmon fishing in the Highlands. From
this enhancement he was awakened by 6
dispute between the two men as to the size
of the fish.
Hes twelve pounds, and no more" the
melancholy Duncan said, cycling him al
over.
Look at his shoulders man." Ronald
rejoined, Fourteen pounds if he's az
ounce Duncan. lad, we've been put OIL
your guessing by the sight of the kelt."
He's u good fish whatetfer,' Duncan
was constrained to admit for he still fore
saw that prospect OF u dram when they
returned to the inn, with perhaps more
substantial handselling of good luck
OF course they could do no more fishing
that afternoon for it was nearly dark
but il was wonderful how the capture OF
this single salmon seemed to raise the
spirits OF this little party as they got
ashore and walked home. There was d
kind of excitement in the evening air
They talked in rapid and eager way
about what the fish had done, what were
the c anCes Of such and such a rush the
probab length of time it had been up
from the sea, the beauty of its shape, the
smallness of its head, the freshness of its
color, and so forth, and there was a kind
of jubilation abroad. The first fish caught
in Scotland that year of course it must
be packed forthwith and sent south to his
daughter Garry and her friends. And
Mr.. Hodson was quite Factions with the
pretty Nelly when she came in to lay the
liable for dinner, and would have her say