Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-07-30
CATCHING A MERMAID.
Wonderful Experience Of Fisherman
with = Smiling Lady Of the Sea.

Wonderful Experience Of Fisherman
with = smiling Lady Of the Sea.
london Tclcsraphl
- was one day out fishing in about
thrcs fathoms Of water" said an old sea-
man. 1t was . cold October day, the
water very quicL Th0ro Was collins
Writings poutings aud tho like Of such
fish to catch in plenty, and I rowed out to
see II could nirn a shillin'. Well, when
came 10 the place where 1 rcckonsl the
hsh was, threw In my oars, picked up the
lont's anchor and chuc,ted Il overheard
Guess my surprise and annoyance when |
found that sOmo one had been and gone
aud cut tho cable close TO where IL was
made fast In the boat. II vas the Going of
some boys I suppose; but, anyways the
anchor took the cablo, aud away went the
whole consarn. II was n new rope, and I
Rad no notion Of losing IL and my little
anchor "a we'll; 50 I took fishing line,
put some extra weights upon IT, and
secured the other end 10 a little
cork fender, with which buoyed the
spot, aud thon rowod home again for
the 1oen Of creep. 4 creep / may tell
Sc, Is n contrivance for sweeping the bot
tom Of tho water with, 10 bring up any
thing you may have lost Well got the
loan ~ one, aud called 90 Jimmy Dadds, a
chap about eighteen years old, 20 come out
and give me a hand, promising him half "A
pint. We rowed out came 10 the place,
aud be- began 10 row quietly, while !
chucked tho creep over. IL hadn't been
down two minutes when 10 came across
something that felt soft. IL wasn't 10 be
pulled up easy. The holl Of IL anchored
tho boat what the blazes have we hooked
here says ! TO Jimmy, feeling whatever it
was webbing. as II might b., upon the
creep, and yet refusing 10 come up. Come
md lens hand He got up laid hold OF
tho limo and hauled with me. What was
coming We couldn't imagine. The feel,
tell yc, was quito singh 10 wasn't like n
piece OF wreck; IL wasn't like fish; il
wasn't like being foul of n rock. There was
kind Of swaying and sofiness about il,
NJ II tho object was alive aud was hold
ing on TO prevent being drawed
up. Haul" says l. We bent our backs and
started the object out Of It's mOorings be-
low; and what dye think came up, Why,
sir, there popped half out OF water the
bcautifulost female rs ever ye set eyes on
She looked right at us, and l never soc
such n smile as she had. Sho seemed 20 be
covered with Jewels, and her hair was all
Wreathcd about with seawcod She had
one arm raised out Of water. and this was
stretched out u Us as though she entrcated
us TO leave her alone. jim, who was tho
most ignorant fool Of III that ever met,
at sight Of her gives scrcoch and tumbles
right backward into tho bottom OF the
boat His falling throw the limo out Of my
hand. The woman disappeared. and when
II loH lao -
irons came up naked. l own was bit
scared myself, but not so alarmed but that
wasn't anxious ~ 20 on creeping for her
again. But Jimmy refused To have my thing
more 70 do with IL. H. said no; he'd come
out TO sweep for an anchor, he
didn't want no dealings with npparitions.
rs 70 the hRlf-pint l might drink il myself.
What no required was to be put ashore.
However, wasn't going TO leave without
my anchor, so gets the boat into position
again, aud at the first throw 81 the creep
brings up the cable. then rowed Jimmie
ashore, where meeting n couple of men,
tells them Of the apparition which came
UP, and invites them % come out to try IL
another sight could bc got OF her. Well,
they consented, but, though l could have
sworn we swept over the place twenty
timos, We never hooked on 70 tho object
IL got talked about aud others tried, but TO
no purpose. Jimmy's yarn made people
believe II was mermaid. Fact is, he was
in such s,A.o of funk he saw good
deal moro than l did, or than any
other man that hadn't lost his head
would. lilo said she motioncd with
her hand, as though to drive us away,
and that her Dyes sparklod. couldn't deny
myself that she looked az il her dress was
coated with jewels and pearls, at least as
much OF her dressRs Icould soc, and there 5
no denying also that her hair was a beau
tiful black, and as she rose to the surface
looked u DO floating aud filling under the
scawocd that hung about her head so grace
fully you might ha' sworn it was her sweet
hearts doing. Tho newspapers said that
Il must ha' boon ships figuro-head, but
why was IL never como across again, How
was IL that mo and the score Of others who
tried for II never could hook itl Pm not go
ing for to say that she was alive, for AIM
such fool as Jimmy, but neither are yC
going 10 get mo 10 believe that the smiling
beautiful figure as rose up glittering with
jewels, was a cnrvin' out OF wood, and so