Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-08-12
Top Knots.
HENRY SPHINX, OF BIG PATCH.


Here is one Of Grant County's most
progressive farmers and one of her
best citizens, one who keeps himself
well posted on all topics of general in
terest, and especially everything per-
tanning to agricultural matters. He is
neither ashamed nor afraid of work. He
believes that man may be as much of
a gentleman with his pants legs tucked
into his boot tops, carrying swill to his
pigs, as he would be if he wore a plug
hat, a dudish suit of clothes and sport
ed switch of cane. Mr.. Sphinx owns
fine farm, keeps good stock, and
everything about his place gives evil
dence of the intelligent and painstak-
ing care of the owner. The gentleman
will meet you with genial smile and a
cordial grip of the hand. which tells of
broad, whole-souled, guileless nature.
Mr. Spink was born and reared at Big
Patch, and is the owner of one of the
finest farms in southern Grant County.
He is genial companion, a true friend,
a good neighbor and useful and pub
lic-spirited citizen, and every inch
man.
JUDGE GARDNER GOES FISHING.
If there is anything that interests
Judge Gardner more than solving
knotty legal problems il is fishing. He
is an inveterate fisherman. He can talk
as learnedly about hooks, lines. leaders,
rods and hobs. as he can of interna-
tional law. He has one of the finest
collections of fishing tackle which was
ever got together. Despite the Judges
ardor and enthusiasm as an angler, the
fickleg goddess Luck has seldom seconded
his efforts He has been known to sit
for hours on the sunny bank of a
stream, angling for the finny denizens
of the babbling brook, and if he hap
pened to get IA nibble he would give his
rod such a jerk that it would have taken
the head off from an alligator. The
Judge boasts of once catching q bull
head four and three-quarter inches
long. The learned Judge lately heard
of famous bass pond, where the fish
were large and plentiful, full of game
and always ready to bite. He threw
aside his books, locked his office door,
got out his fishing-tackle and straight
way made for the pond. He said that
it would be the supreme moment of lis
existence if he could feel tbree-pound
bass at the end of his lance-wood rod.
The proprietor of the pond told the
Judge that he was not then taking any
fish. Now. if there is anything on
earth that Judge Gardner has an entire
disregard for it is money. He told the
proprietor of the pond to name his own
price and be sure and make it large
enough. All he wanted was the pleas
ure of catching some of those bass.
The Judge inquired the depth of the
water, saying his head was apt to swim
when it was over deep water. The
small boy remarked that there was no
danger of his drowning as long as his
head would swim. The Judge started
out on narrow bank that separated
two ponds and stepped very carefully.
He carried his Lakewood rod in his
right hand, his left arm was extended
to its fullest extent in order to enable
him to keep his balance. The extended
wings, the august presence and portly
form of the learned Judge made an
impressive picture. Then a three pound
bass took his hook and 10! what a
change! The Judge lost his balance
and the next moment found the upper
story of the Judge lying on the narrow
bank while his lower story was dan
Cling in the water. He still held to his
rod; the bass was making the line sing
as he cut through the water. The
Judge kicked and splashed. but did not
succeed in getting his lower story on
the bank. Then as last resort he took
hold of the seat of his unmentionables
and undertook to lift his lower story on
to the bank. Failing in this, he shout
ed Justify for help. The proprietor of
the pond ran to his assistance. Save
us both if you cam said the Judge,
''but save that fish. 1t can now no
longer be said of me that never caught
anything but a neutrality-suspicious.
bull-head. l." The fish was safely landed
and the Judge rescued from his perilous
predicament. photograph of the
fish now adorns the Judges office.
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