The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-08-11
He Caught A Sucker.
The Experience Of a Man Who Forth
fed His Pocket with Fishho0hs.

al man--that is, il he was out of
job he'd devise some way of his
own to procure the whcrewithal
to keep fire in the CRATE and pro-
visions in the pantry" said man
in Main street cigar store the
other night. "Bill was also fond of
fishing. On winter evenings at
home, if he had nothing better to
do, he. would haul out his fishing
tackle and inspect it thoroughly,
and then, after making two or three
new tangled fly hooks, he'd place
the outfit back in its box, at the
same time knowing that he'd be
unable to use his tackle for pro-
badly six months.
"Bill lived in Boston whom | first
knew him. That was eighteen or
twenty years ago. He was tin
smith by trade. l went up one
night to see him concerning some
work he had been engaged on for
several days. Bill was in the din
ing room examining his fishing
tackle when | entered. After set
Ting our tin smithing business he
began explaining the different
methods used to catch the various
species of the finny tribe. This
hook was fine for trout in the early
morning, that brown tackle was
immense at noon when the sun
was shining, and that white moth
fly hook was simply perfection in
the evening, just about the time
the sun was setting.
"One huge batch ofhooks attract
ed my attention. There were pro-
badly thirty very small eyehoolls,
all sewed securely to Il jagged piece
of cloth-strong drilling-about the
size of your hand.
"Bill," said 1, taking the hook
covered cloth in my hand, did you
ever catch any fish with this az
rangementv
"'Yes, SIR he answered with Il
laugh, Il caught II sucker on that
collection last fall that weighed
100 pounds
"'Where and how? / asked,
hardly knowing what Bill meant,
rs | had never seen Il sucker that
weighed more than three or four
pounds.
"'Just this way replied Bill
'One night my wife and | decided
to go the theatre. When we reach
ed the box office there was per-
feet jam of people. ! left my wife
near the door while | struggled
bravely to reach the ticket window.
/ asked for two dress circle tickets,
and when I put my hand in my
pocket to get the money to pay for
them L discovered that pocket
book was gone. "Stolenw exclaim-
ed /, and retreated.'
"'Mrs. Charters and I walked
home. She felt disappointed; sho
wanted to see that play. A thought
struck me instantly, and just as
quickly as possible l put my plan
into eXncution. Turning my money
pocket inside out | hastily sewed
all the small fish hooks I had to
the inside of that pocket in such a
manner that when my pocket was
showed kack to its proper position
the barbs of the hooks stood out
andpointed downward.
"ktook some more money with
me-but | placed ii in another
pocket-and again we started fol-
the theatre. There was still con.
siderable of Il crowd in the neigh
borhood Of the box office, and once
more L began edging my way
through for the purpose of procur.
ing tickets. l allowed my fish
hook money pocket to take care ol
itself.
"Just as ! was being handed my
tickets | felt a bite. / attempted tc
turn round, when / found / haC
hooked Il very fine looking sucker
in the shape of we'll dressed mar
who wore u shiny tile. | paid nt
attention to his tugging at my
pocket, as knew after one or two
tugs he'd quit. When / reached
my wife she said: "William, wht
is this gentleman with you?'
told her he was avery particular
friend of mine.
"An officer standing at the dool
accompanied my friend and me, a,
my request, into an adjoining room
where l explained matters. re
covered my lost pocketbooll anc
greenbacks. 1T was keeping com
pany with seven other similarly
situated purses. / had TO cut tho
pocket out to have the thief hand
ed over to the officer, but it was re