The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-07-10
A FISH STORY.

When the Old Settler stepped INTO lhs 3
tavern the other day he found the Squire
and the boys In ecstasies over basket o'
front that one of them had just brought
in and after the savory fish, in the gar (
nisbing Of ferns had been sufficiently ad-
,nired and commented uTOn. and their
fragrance somewhat modlhed by the
aroma of several samples of assorted
Goods. tho Old Settler sat down and said.
The hes trout fisher | ever know'd
were Hank Yellrack o Sugar Swamp
An the bigges' trout ever knowd were
oil Redtail the Ripper o the same dees-
trio An he want only the bigges
trout lint he were the KNOWN est. He
lived in McGonigles Run. an even wen
the fust settler in the Sugar swamp dees
tric'. which were Honey McGonigle his
self shucked his fust wolf on the banks
O. that run Redtail the Ripper want no
yearlin. not by ca much 81 thirty years
ez uirh 81 Honey McGOnigle could figure.
sn lie could figure ye up the age OF the
oldest crow TO within an hour o IT'S
haichin'. if I'd unly jis give him one OF
its tail feathers to GIT his Dearln from
an We know crows is hundred years ola
fore they've hardly begun to cut their
milk teeth yit.
Honey McGonigle lived in Sugar
Swamp deestric nine year lore ne were
crowded by neighbors much, the nearest
ones bein' Riar Snortbores family ez
lived ten miled I'm Honeys cabin, an oil
an on fer them nine year Honey nshed
nm Gsbed an fished fer Redtail the Ripper.
thout ever gittin ez much satisfaction
outen the sly oil mossback ez the losin OF
l.. :. l. 500 Tho BOnf
the size of nice fat baby even in Honey
McGonigle's day, an the name o Redtail
the Ripper were give TO him cause ms
tail wero bout the color o. a robin ch,t,
an cause he were q ripper. an no ms
take. An so Honey fished an tshcd I'll
the day he were gethered 10 his fathers
an the Ripper KEEP on GROWN bigger
an kpowiner. an waXin fatter an
fatter Then new gin'rations o fishers
tried their hans on him. an iishcd high
an low an deep an smaller fer him.
trailin' flies an sinkin bugs, az cO3Xln
Of him with all sorts o traps an contriv
ances an shares fer the wary an the on
wary; but Of Redtail the Ripper unly laid
hack an larfed in his sleeve, an showed
hisself here an thar an now an then III
McGonigle's Run. jist to keep the ball a
rollin'
Fifty wear arter the days O Honey Me
Gonirle fust see the Ripper, an folks
was a fshin fer him Wit Gin'ratious had
kim an ginrationS bad gone, bgosh.
an still oil Redtail the Ripper were on
deck. fat an sassy, but shown OF me-
years n leetle Then Hank HellNck
'peared on the scene llauk could ketch
trout wuther the water were high OF II
Ia. - plnIiIgr I'll ID
q gutter or clearer thin jar o strained
honey. But Of Redtail the Ripper larfcd
nj Hank an dared him to ketch him, JiSl
the same ez he had the heaps an heaps O
ordin'rv trout fishers. wich had kim mp
like n flower in the mornin, so to speak.
an been cut down In the evenin, b'gosh.
like iimson weed, and had left the GID
in waters O. McGonigle's Run, fer the
rolln' tides o. Jurdan. The impotence o
The Ripper. an the way he had o euchrcin
Hank. no matter how cute an cunnin he
PLAYED his hand. tore Hank all up but he
kep follern that trout up an down the
Run. wear in an year out. fer fifteen year
cause he'd took a oath TO capture OF Red
tail the Ripper or perish in the tempt
AT the end o. that time Hank were shrunk
Almost to shadder His eyes were sol
back In his head SOS they looked like
green marbles in holes in the ground, an
he hadn't no more appetite TIM deaC
calf.
But never mind Hank usety say
I'm list o. savin' o my appetite fer the
dav th't yank oil Redtail outen his hole.
SOS | kin hev it all in one heap, an jisi
set il 10 worbin on his contrary carcase
billed. fried an Drilled an fstten up OF
him like goose in q cellar crammed viii
meal. an come out sassy an clipper ez
fghtin cock.
An Hank KEEP on iiShin.
Eye mowt nat rally s'poso TIT durin
the HUNDRED year er 50 tht the hppel
had Knocked around in McGonigle's run
he orter be gittiu' leetle old hisseli
an we'd s'pose right. Time TIT Hanl
Yellrack fuSt begun TO Try an sarcumyen
oil Redtail. ez toll We, the fish had begun
10 show his age consid able an at the enc
o. Hanks fifteen year fight agin him he'
failed most ca bad ez Hank he'd One ey
mad took to lookn' ez ii it'd been change
fer one th't blonged 10 q dead mack ralt
his shoulder blades begun to hist th"i'
sells up inter unpleasant lookin ndge'
an tn was couple O. hollers behind OF
th't ve could la sot teacups IN. IN
Redtail Rppers ribs showed up tol adj
plain, too, an his gin'ral build o carcas
were setch th't il didn't hol' out much II
ducement fer Hanks saved up appetite
an ruther made folks think th't If Han
should happen to hook onter the Ripe
it'd be bad thing fer him Grter all. c
he'd starve to death. sure. vile he WEI
huntin' fer the Rppers meat Hank nc
nobody else couldn't Understan wa
made the cunnin oil fish fall away 50 al
git so lank, till one day Hank see III
Ripper travelin' up stream lords B'ier
dam. an whanged away at him with loa
O. buckshot. Redtail stopped an listene;
an then riz hisself up TO the top o Il
water, stuck his head out, an kind'
cooked his eye 'round 20 see wat the On
turbance were. In dolu' of it he throwe
his mouth open, an Hank see tht I
want much left In his mouth but gun
an few Of wuthless snags.
THAT settles it' says Hank. Z
Redtail Ripper can't chaw no more.
s,,apdor I'm now on SAWS Hank Il don