Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-12-11
A FISH STORY. ~
How = Travelling Grooeryman Foil In with
Throe MYatcrIoua Bass.

How Travelling Grooerymnn Foil In with
Three Mysterious Bass
"Another funny thing happened to
me the other day, this time up at Lack
AWAKEN" said tho travelling grocery
man to the Sun reporter. al 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 a train.
When the train comes they wait until It
goes away, and then they go home
again and stay until 1t is almost time
for the next train, when they come
back and wait for that train. II may
be four hours late but the town doesn't
leave the depot until 1t comes.
"Well, was waiting for train this
day, and as by no way that L could
figure it could it get there under three
hours, concluded to take walk over
by the river. That is one thing up at
Lackawaxen that won't wait for train
or anything else. 1t is the Delaware
River, and it keeps going right on
toward tho sea. always like to look
at river that keeps rolling along on
its way toward the sea, and so walked
over TO gaze on the Delaware. l Istrolled
up and down tho river bank awhile.
and then noticed canal that crossed
the river by big viaduct. 1 walked
up the canal bank and watched the
boats go by. They were loaded with
coal Thirsting for information, /
finally said to a boy who came along on
mule, wearing his fathers trousers
rolled up to his knees:
"'Where is this coal going to, my
little manP'
"To market, popH he replied.
"Then l watched more boats, and
not being able to still my longing for
knowledge, by and by said to man
who was working the tiller of one of
the boats:
"'How many tons do you carryp'
"'As many, begorra, as any boat
that rooms this detchH
"Surfeitcd with information. 1 re-
turned to the river. walked up and
down, and presently saw a pine peg,
which was driven in the sand near the
water. There was string to it.
Wonder what that isp' said to
myself.
mot being able to answer the
question, went and pulled the peg out
of the sand. The string came out of
the water pretty hard, and found that
three big black bass had got fast on it
in some way through the gills. There
was no mistake about it. 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.'
| II had heard of this travelling over
land from one pond to another; perch
that climb trees were old acquaintances
of mine; catfish that swear at you like
itroopers when you take them from the
hook had seen and heard. But bass
THAT could come out of the water, string
themselves like these, above the peg in
the sand, and get back in the water
Iagain was more than l could explain.
When go back home and tell this
says. people won't believe me, and then
feel bad
so 1 looked around to see if there
was any one near that could enlighten
me on this curious circumstance. l saw
mo one but pious-looking old gentle
man, who was fishing along the river
quite way below. AS he was so intent
ION his sport that he seemed oblivious tc
all around him, didn't like to disturb
him in his gentle recreation, and sc
walked back to the hotel and told the
landlord that he might cook the bas:
for my supper. He did, and they were
good. After supper went down to ge
the train. There was pious-looking
iwhite-haired old gentleman there, with
a fishpole on his shoulder. He seemed
to be very mad. AS I got on the trair
l heard him say:
"'Yes, sir, by the jumping jimminy
Three old sockers, and I'll give six dol
dollars to know what on earth becam
:of 'emn
"'That man amt as p'ous as he looks,
l said. as the train pulled out. An,
then the thing struck me all of sud
den, and l said I'd bet anything tina
the white haired old man had foun
some bass that had strung themselve
Just as mine had, and that then he
gone and lost 'em some way or other.
Say, don't it beat the Old Harry ho,
these funny things will keep happenin
tic mop"-N. Y. Sun.