Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1886-02-24
OUR BIG SALMON.
A Happy Contamination Brought
About by It's Capture.

1t was no ordinary salmon; not one
of us can speak of it C, en- now but with
batcd breath and a tendency to retell
tn story. Several Of our friends think
it time to go the moment that grand
fish thrusts its nose into the conversa-
ton. Lord Duffcr even departed in a
huff yesterday afternoon because we
persisted in final gossip upon the sub
Iect; but he is devoid of all sense of
either romance OF 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 sholtering rejected lovers
from rdicule is proverbial in the fam
lily.
1t is perhaps the most perfect hour of
the year, VIZ, six o'clock on q July
evening, and especially perfect because
We are .ust going to have tea, an event
owing TO the fact that luncheon ut the
sitting hour of one was farce. We
have been out s.ncc early morning,
state of things which has obtained ever
since our arrival in Wales ten days ago,
and arc grouped in picturesque atti-
tude, such as girls naturally adopt
when in momentary expectation of the
return of the gentlemen, round the head
of q rocky pool some miles up the
river.
This spot has, after an exhaustive en-
animation of the entire neighborhood,
been proaounced by the family the beau
ideal of romantic perfection. The muir
muir of the fall soothcs our ears; Cap
tain Croft calls such music ''ceaseless
din," but men of his stamp have no
business outside London; in fact his
adverse verdict alone would be enough
to decide us in having afternoon tea
here. 1t is pleasant to lie on the rocks
staring down into the glittcrinS black
ness OF the deep pool, while the pres
sence Of the heavy salmon which lives
at its lower end, and occasionally
startles us with loud splash, is fraught
with ceaseless excitement.
Dick and Captain Croft have often
tired him with everything, from q
Jack Scott" to "Silver Doctor"
W thout getting the ghost of an offer
from his maze ,ty. They will SOON re-
turn, surly, after the bootless fatigue of
long wading, and. if we know anything
of fisherman's nature, try him yet
again
Meantime, We light a fire of dry
sticks and arrange everything in way
calculated to cheer the eyes of dsap-
pointed anglers.
We are Disguised to see Captain
Croft returning first, and more still to
see Ethel with him, for Dick has long
been her slave, and we did hope to find
that he aud Ethel would be together
and that something would occur to pre-
vent his threatened departure to-mor-
row morning. II this afternoon turns
out bank, we give up hope, for Dick is
duo in India in October. and will not
get another chance with Ethel.
This morning Captain Croft killed
two SEWN. and Ethel was the only one
of us civil enough to congratulate him.
Dick appeared ct lunch with an empty
creel, bronzei and tired. but as usual,
cheerful. This cheerfclness of his, adj
ded to curious habit-very curious,
even unique, considering his sex-of
thinking Of every one else before himself
have helped to make us worship Dick
as an elder brother.
II wish some of you ,c0uid be a shade
less sisterly," l heard him mutter the
other night when Ethel said with a
| guileless smile: 1--WE all look upon you
quito as brother, you know, Dick
Captain Croft and Ethel, whom we re-
ceived with dignifcd stiffness, throw
out strong hints upon tho subject of
tea, but we request them not to be
greedy. which IS uncivi, and declare
that the kettle is not boiling, which is
untrue. Possibly we rather astonish
Captain Croft with our rudencss, but
we are sure about Dick. and our enemy
has often enough disavowed all surprise
at the vagarles of our sex.
While the ang or, finding us too diill-
cult for conversation, turns over the
leaves OF his fly-book mcditativcly,
Ethel reclines among the sea of brake
fern which envclops our camp. / OBJ
serve her from behind On book, and re-
Elected for the thousandlh time that the
multitude Of her conqucsts j. not TO be
wondered Mt. Who can 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 q theme which, from its exceed
Ing attractiveness. / mnst label dan
gerous.
Az Dick comes in sight. laundering
over the rocks with his long rod over