Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-04-25

couple of immense hooks out OF a pair OF
not hooks and baited with a couple oil ten
pound perch. The frat run Of the line the
old fellow was there, and then followed the
test as to whether Sill had the fish or the
6sh had Sill. Silrs boat wss q good sized
John boat, and would almost hold up a
horse. The liue was stretched across the
boat, and Just about the time Sill got close
to the fish aud was coDgratulatiDg himself
upon his superior sttainments as a fisher
men, the boat, Sill and the fish disappear
ed. Sill came up after a time. but the
boat and fish remained somewhere near
the bottom. Old Sill got ashore and told
his neigbbors that the big fab was the
devil, and that he was done with him. DE &C
tnaIIy moved away from the neighborhood
| had heard these stories and dozens more
like them, and made up my mind to get
that fish myself, if it were possible. SO
one day ! fixed up a trot line and doubled
it four or five times, and fixed a hook 10 it
which weighed three pounds. | bsited
this big hook with an old shanghai rooster
which had been raised by my grandmother
and was az old and tough as Bill Nye's
conscience. Well, to make q long story
short, l got to the place and baited the
hook and threw it and the sinker over.
board. The other end Of the line |
fastened to the bow Of my johnboat,
which was twelve feet long. | losted
along quietly for half an hour, thinking
about the sermon / had heard on Sunday
before, at the colored church, where old
Uncle Bush preached from the text,
"Who sm LszsrusY' AID just about the
time / had come to the conclusion that
that coon was q damned fool or waRtod to
take NJ a collection to buy q
wagon load Of wa,ermelon9, the line
baean to stretch and the boat TO move
along up stream. Directly it stopped and
ahead Of me | cav the warrior. tell you,
boys, that fish was ten feet long aud at
least three feet across the head, and his
mouth looked like the entrance 10 Nam
moth cave or a last years milllner's bill !
was scared, but l had him fa4t, as thought
In q minute or two that old ~iohnboat was
sailing along almost bow under. For
fear the fish would run it under | ran back
to the stern, and my weight at that end
bept the bow from gong Hnder. The hsh
began to cut up espeEs. He jumped clear
out of the water and came down with o
crash. and tried all sorts iot maneuvers to
get rid of The hook. Finally, finding that
he was really fast, he started up the river
like a train Of cars. We went so fast that
the trees on the bank seemed TO lose their
identity and became intermingled in one
a OF blended green, the mist and spray
few higher than my head, my hat flew "a
and my hair felt as i. we've soaipg
ont By the roots. Ten miles
go went up stream before
the speed began to slack and it wouldn't
have stopped then, but for the fact tsst
The ish had run upon q riMs. While l.
was thrashiRg around Ia stHllr;s water, |
went to the bow A"1 cut the line, | then
paddles ..ue boat ashore with my hands,
Tor the oars had been washed overheard,
| had to walk back q distanc OF almost
eleven miles. That was my experience
with the black warrior, and ! don't want
to tackle him any more"
The story of the black warrior excited
considerable comment; no one doubling
the existence of the big fish, but there was
considerable diversity OF opinion as to his
size, several of the members being Of the
opinion that be was fully 10 feet long
while there were others Who thought q
feet at least two feet nearer the truth.
The CLUB and scribe, after q tip all
around, folio sed by an excellent cigar,
adjourned for another hour Of fishing. The
cstch was better than that Of the early part
Of day, consisting Of % bass. l6 Jack sslm.
on, about a dozen catfish. q few chad and
perch, altogether not less than fifty or six.
ty fine fish. An excellent supper followed,
after which a bath in the deep pool and
then to the tent for rest The nights we're
cool and blankets necessary to keep US com.
Portable. We all slept sound as infants
until Old Sol shot the rays Of approaching
day over the eastern hills.
For two days the scribe enjoyed himself
to the full, and before be lett iook q nun
Der Of strolls through the woods and along
the banks. and in fishing, eating, sleeping
and having o delightful time until moor n
the third day arrived.
The gong e big dish. PAM then called
the faithful 'n 11inner-snd such q dinneri
ia not undertake to deseribe it, except
by saying that 1t vss most elegant in guam
and quality. A post-praDdial smoke,
generous qusf Of beer, and q nap in the
shade Of an immense beech, and the writer
was compelled to part with the pleasant
association. The recollections Of the Jolly
rev, their hospitality and well wishes
.ill long remsin green in the memory of
be REGISTER scribe. TRAVELLER.
In next Sundays REGISTER will appear
mother interesting letter from our special
correspondent