Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-04-23

p UCUlCl Cdu W. lUullus
l allowed him at first to catch the
grasshoppers, while l found out if the
trout were in the stream; but that ar
rangement did not last long, and soon
l was down on my knees after the
grasshoppers and he was working the
stream with the rod. In fishing a
brook banked with sod you must not
approach too near the edge of the
stream, or you will jar the bank and
startle the trout beneath. So l showed
him a big pool and how to approach it.
Sure enough, the bait had not lighted
on the water when a nice trout was after
it. The little chap struck with all his
might, but, not starting the fish, he put
on moro power. Then, with a terrific
pull, he lifted a tcn-inch trout out of
the water. The fish fairly shot up
like a rocket, and, becoming de-
tachcd from the hook, scared away
into the top of a Eastwood tree and
came down rafting through the
leaves and branches. The boy was
after it and had his head hammered to
Jelly in a moment, to prevent all dan
ger of its Hopping into the water. l
knew then the boy would make a fish
erman, and SO he did. had no peace
afterward if I did not take him on fire.
quent fishing excursions. He would get
so tired on these trips that | would have
to bring him home on my back. He
became most enthusiastic. Why. he
even fixed up a place in the garden
where he kept a sort of wormery. BY
filling in a spot with richer earth than
that in the garden he attracted the
worms to this place, and they gathered
in quantities. He always, as a consc-
quence, had a good supply on hand. In
the hot summer months he would care
fully water the spot. The roses and
vcrbenas in his mothers flower-bed
would wither and dry up but that
worms nest was always damp and
never neglected. 1t was treated nightly
to two or three pals of water. His
worms became the fattest in the village
and he made them clean and strong bv
putting them in moss. There is moth
ing so good as moss in which to scour
worms and in which to keep them fresh
when taken long distances. When the
boy grew up, however, you could not
get him to touch a worm, and he was
an expert fy-caster long before his
father.
"But l was about to tell you of my
experience with him in the Adiron-
dacks. l was going to Riverville to a
meeting of the %Presbytery, and from
that point there was a good road into
the North Woods, and as l had been
very busy in my own church previously,
l thought after the meeting l would
take a day or two in the woods on a
trout stream. Well, it was vacation in
the college, and the young freshman
thought he would 90 along, too, and |
had no objection. Now, it was a large
church in which the ~Presbytery was to
meet, and my turn to preach. 1t was
a special occasion to the people, as the
~Presbytery did not meet often there;
besides, they had no pastor and were
hearing candidates. Now l had re-
ceived hints that they wanted to hear
me preach before the time for the Pres
bytery came around. SO | prepared a
special for the occasion and
wanted to make an excellent impress
sion. The church was bigger than my
own, and was considered a remarkably
good field. There were more than two
ministers in the Presbytery who wished
it was their turn to preach, and my al
ternate had written me saying he was
ready if | could not get there. But |
was ready.
"lVell, we reached the town just at
night, and | was to preach in the even
ing. Feeling a little tired l lay downin
order to get a rest for the evening. and
the young man went out to look about
the town. | afterward learned that he
met a former acquaintance, and that
they had agreed to 90 to a party. I'm
fortunately, the boy had only his fishing
boots with him. Stealing into my room
while / was asleep, he took mine and
slipped out. When 1 awokc l had lust
time enough to get to the church, but
to my utter despair the boots we're mis-
sing. | was frantic, but there was no
time to lose, and my only alternative
was to put on my fishing boots-great
heavy-solcd leather affairs, whose tops
were so stiff that l could hardly get
my trousers oyer them. l snatched up
my sermon and started for the church.
1t was packed with q fashionably dres-
sed audience, who looked with expec-
fancy as | followed the brothers who
were to lead in the devotional exer-
cises up the aisles. The members of
the Presbytery sat in the front seats.
But imagine my horror when
those boots came down clump,
clump on the floor. 1t was tor
ture to me to hear them. The flooring
had sprung in the aisle and emitted a
hollow sound when stepped upon heav-
lily. OF course, the entire audience was
silent; all that could be heard was the
sound of those boots. When | reached
the pulpit my face was red, and drops of
pcrspiration stood like bubbles on my
forehead. While they were singing the
hymns and a brother made a prayer, L
recovered myself partially, and, when
my turn came got up apparently as
cool as a cucumber amid the Summer
mornings dcws. l gave out the text in
a clear voice, and got Off my first SEN
tence in good shape. Then l warmed
to the subject, and, feeling that l
held the attention OF every one present,
even to the choir above, grew quite elo-
qucnt for me, for my forte is not elo-
quent preaching, but rather in visiting
and keeping a congregation together.
My sermon leaves We're arranged in the
form Of a book, and l turned them over
$3.50 l. >rA H. Ill.,