Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-26
OUR BIG SALMON.

| 1t was no ordinary salmon; not one of ma 70 "a
speak OF 1t even now but with bated breath
and a tendency to retell this story, Several n,
our friends think it time to go the moment thai
grand fish thrusts its nose into the converse.
| ton. Lord Duffer even departed in a hua
| Yesterday afternoon because we persisted In a
final gossip upon the subject but he is devoid o1
all sense Of either romance or sport without
| which incongruous ingredients our salmon can.
not be dished up for conversational purposes:
| or perhaps-as / pause the others accept the
hypothesis with many-voiced acclamations-
he was in love with Ethel himself She who
| ought to know best denies this, but her good
nature In sheltering rejected lovers from ridi.
| cuie is proverbial in the family.
1t is perhaps the most perfect hour of the
| year. viz, six O'Clock on a July evening, and
especially perfect because we are just going to
have tea, an event which attains exceptional
| importance owing to the fact that luncheon at
| the sitting hour OF one was n farce. We have
| been out since early morning, state of things
| which has obtained since our arrival in Wales
| ten days ago, and are grouped in picturesque
in momensaTv ssgectation Of the ret1rn OF S
gentlemen, round the head OF a rocky pool some
\ miles up the river.
| This spot has, after an exhaustive examina-
! ton of the entire neighbOrhood, been pro-
| nounced by the family the bean ideal of ro-
mantle perfection. The murmur of the fall
| soothes our ears; Capt. Croft calls such music
| a "ceaseless din, but men of his stamp have
| no business outside London; in fact his adverse
1
having afternoon tea here. 1t is pleasant to lie
| on the rocks staring down into the glitterng
biaekness OF the deep pool. while the presence
| of the heavy Salmons which live at its lower
end, and occasionally startles US with loud
splash, is fraught with ceaseless excitement.
DICK and Captain Croft have often tried him
Win everything from a "Jock Scott" to q SSH
yer Doctor" without getting the ghost of an
Offer from his majesty. They will soon return,
surely, after the boOtless fatigue of long wading
and, If we know anything of a fsherman's ma
ture, try him yet again.
Meantime, we light fire of dry sticks and ar
range everything in q way calculated to cheer
the eyes of disappointed anglers.
we are disguised to see Captain Croft return
ing, and more still to see Ethel with him. for
Dick has long been her slave and we did hope
| TO find that he and Ethel would be together
and that something would occur to prevent his
this afternoon turns out blank, we give up hope
for DICK Is due in India in October, and will not
get another chance with Ethel.
This morning Captain Croft killed two sewin
ana Ethei was the only one of us civil enough
to congratulate him. Dick appeared at lunch
usual cheerful. This cheerfulness OF his added
10 curious habit-very curious, even unique,
considering his sex-ot thinking of every one
worship Dick as an elder brother.
Il wish some of you uOuid be a shade less
when Ethel said with guiieless smile, ave all
1 nsnS, upon you quite as brother, you know,
Captain Croft and Ethel whom we receive
with dignifed stiffness, throw out strong hints
upon the subject of ten, but we request them
not 10 De greedy, which Is uncivil, and declare
tnat tne Kettle Is not yet boiling, which is I'M
true. Possibly rather aStonish Captain
Croft with our rudeness, but we are sore about
DICK. and our enemy has often enough dsa-
vowed all surprise at the vagaries of our sex.
While the angler, finding US too fficult for
conversation, turns over the leaves OF his fly
book meditatively, Ethel reclines among the
sea of brake-fern which envelops our CAMP I
observe her from behind a book and reflect for
the thousandth time that the multitude of her
nc 10 mot hn nod
Withstand such blue eyes and soft curly hair
and the dimples which come and 90 as she
speaks: Again. her voice Is like the MARBLE of
nightingale, and-but sister Ethel is theme
which, from its exceeding attractiveness, /
must label dangerous"
AS Dick comes in sight, clambering over the
rocks with his long rod over his Shoulder, I
fancy detect an added light in her eyes, but
she only remarks casually, "Now you girls have
got your hero back again, perhaps you will give
Fish, says Dick; "not a fin. Mfghtas well
throw a fly on dry ground as on this gin-clear
He sits down, and we recover our spirits and
temper little. But he Is not himself for being
him closely and note the elaboration of effort in
his mirth.
II wish he were not so Undetermined Prob
ably he Will not even ask her." run my
thoughts.
After our painstaking preparations tea is not
to be dismissed in moment Our contempla-
tive enjoymentO OF 1t, however, is broken in upon
by a loud shout from fourteen-year-Old Bella.
Look, the salnon!' and she points to the curv.
ing eddies which mark the spot where the big
by gum says Dick. jumping up in haste.
Its a regular sOckdolager. Take my rod, Croft
and try for it,
mo, no, it's your turn. had the last"
But gOOd-natured Dick thrust the rod into his
friend hand and drags off his own hat to ex-
anime the flies in it.
Our loud-tongued entreaties are to him as the
IDLE wind; but gentle. low-yoiced request from
Ethel veers him round in moment. He takes
the rod, and glides cautiously down to the
waters edge, crOuched behind rocks, and with
beating hearts we watch every movement of
81 shall show him big dark fly first"-his
words scarcely reach us through the noise of
on a small hook"
He seems an age affixing that fly and then
whetting it. AS he heightened his line out a
yard or more each cast, and the black wings
and silver body float nearer and nearer to the
spot where the great fish rose, our excitement
reaches almost to bursting point and little
Bella has TO be held down by force
There, it must have been right over his nose
that time! 1 almost wonder that Dick has the
courage to go on working his fly at ALL But no
ripple breaks the surface. His majesty paZes
unmoved upon the black and silver. Two or
three . more throws and Dick reels up his line.
Captain Croft, caught by the prevailing excite
ment; speaks in solemn whisper.
''AH right. Throw me one over
Again the wetting process has to be gone
through and again seems more endless than
before.
At last the brilliant-hued clock Scott, ia al
most over the big fish. Dick balances himself
carefully for the next cast. The rod curves
back, swings forward, and the fly, delivered
straight and freely, drops gently ON to the
water couple Of yards above the salmon.
Hardly has the line sunk an inch below the
surface before there is heaving boil and
swirl OF water as the great fish bounds to the
surface. There is not one OF US girls who would
not at this 1uncture have thrown The rod down
with shrek.
In moment Jack has struck. His rod is a
hoop the line flashes through the water; the
whirling reel makes music in our ears.
"DOwn TO the bottom of the pool and drive
him back II he makes for the rapid" We Obey
Dick like children, except Ethel who stands be-
side him and views the struggle, so to say from
the grand stand.
The first rush is straight toward the danger
Gus rapid, but a strenuous splashing from us
drives the fish back in time.
by JOve! that was near shave though"
and Dick wipes his forehead hastily.
Both Dick and Captain Croft afterward de-
clared that they had never seen fish show
such sport as this one did.
One grand rush after another seems to leave
him as fresh as ever. He is across the pool
down the pool, under the white water at the
top, and almost under Dicks fetal in a mo-
ment. Again and again he hurls himself into
the air, and his great slvery side almost daz-
zes our eyes with its glitter.
Little Bella positively cries with excitement
and one or two of us would fain do likewise
have that strange feeling anglers have often
described to me, which makes the burning real.
ity OF the moment blot out past and future. The
nsh: II he Is once landed, feel that the strug-
gle of life will be over.
For thirty-eight minutes does that fish keen
us palpitating round that pool, then he begins
TO tire His rusheS are shorter and shorter
Dick Is getting him in hand.
"a of fort