Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-11-24
Sad Eyperie zee :.

Stale t,sh Comm SSiOncr Bartlett
wniie in Chicago. was entertained by
/ the Calumet B S. ard Bu,ihead GS-0-
cation. During the evening. uuprc
ten.iops stories were toll by modest
gentlemen. Ex-rresdent Stanlef Wa
/ terloJ. managing clitor bf the thicago
Vu, said that. several wears 400,
while fishing in Drake's creek. near.
1t. Louis. he caught a catfish that had
a large gold ring IN !ts mouth. 1t
was very large ring said Mr. Wa
terloo. 'and. aside from lis somewhat
romantic discovery, regarded lis ac-
QUESTION a. extremely fortunate. for
at that time | had urgent need of a
gold ring and knew exactly where TO
place II. Shortly after catching the
fish, went TO 4 farmhouse not far
away. to get something 10 eat. The
oniy occupant of the house was an old
gray-hairpi man. toltering in footsteps
but gentle in iitanrcr. He spread
something TO eat before me. While
eating, ! told The story Of the gold low
iDg fish, aud taking out the ring. plac.
ed 1t upon the table The old mans
eyes filled with tears. and covering
his face with his hands ho sobbed
aloud. What is Tie matter?' or ell.
= Alas. he replied. you have ruined
me-
'Ru me- you! do not understand
&" 4 VIII tell you. said he. endcav
oring TO be calm. About six years
ago my wife died. We had met ro-
malicailv. and married chivalrouSly.
and had lived together in n If. OF de-
votiOn. Shortly after her death / was
sezei with rheumatism. Some days
! could no. turn over in bed. Others
could hobble about the house. Oae
night n Il dream vision appeared to
me. The vision told me 10 take the
ring VIII ca my wife had worn. our
engagement ring. go down ,O the
creek aud throw it into the water and
iha, my pa Ms would leave me. A, first
| refused to obey the sion, but it ap-
pcared so often, night after Iight, that
al last yielded. When | went down
10 the creek could scarcely walk. but
whcI had thrown the ring into the
slrcar. new blood. with pleasant
coursinr seemed 10 low through iny
veins turned ava; rejoicing. ami
from that day until Just now. nave
been free from pain: but when you
took that r.ng, my old pains began tn
come back upon me-
Here. OLD man said ], take the
ring. ] am not supcrst!ious. but il
YOU believe that your health depends
upon this rc,e of gold. you are wei
como 10 it, lie took The rng, ard,
,ciZ.ng my hands. pressed them 10 his
wi;hered face. i will throw the riDg
back into The water said he. Good
bye Ohe who suffered for the world
will bless YOU for your Kindness
IL went away deeply impressed.
acquaintance who lived IN the Drake
creek neighborhood, spoke of the
strange old man.
"'Ics. said my acquaintance. he
has peculiarities. One popularity is
his great ability for lying. the other is
his aptness IN the art of stealing. He
has only lived in the neiglborhood
three weeks and has already become
known as the ablcst thief in the COM
mnnitY. His wife
= Is his wife iiviue?' asked.
OF course. aud next TO him. she is
Tie supreme thief of the settlement
Willis H. Hawkins. The weli-known
librarian. was called upon for a bit of
bis experience, but he preferred 10 sing
song written by Colonel John A.
joycc. Mr.. Hawkins sings with rare
sweetness. He thoroughly under.
stands that Delsarte expression Of
mnsc. which gives 10 a song those
emotional oulbursiS so much admired
by the ancient Irish.
Eugene Field. Of The Chicago NeWs.
rcclted n poem, in which an acrOstic.
carrying in sly conCealment the name
of Mr.. Bartlett. was sweeiy woven.
Bartlett clapped his hands in lusty APP
plause, but when the acros,ic was
pointed ont 10 Inn he shook his head
sadly and sighed with deep-reaehing
regret
The fish commissioner. after much
persuasion. consented TO tell some
thing OF what he knew abou, fish.
II was fishing mp The Mississippi
river some time ago." said he when
there occurred most remarkable
event. cancht small catfish about
twenty inches long. and running q
strong cord through his gill. threw
him into the water. tying one end OF
tho cord 10 hickory sapling. Now,
yon gentlemen have often heard of a
large fish coming iip aud swallowing
a smaller one. have heard OF it
many time. but confess | had my
doubts. for fish are pretty shrewd. you
know. Well, ] saw number of large |
fish jumping close 10 the place where |
had tied NV catfish, but I'll pledge !
you my word that | did not think
well. when went to draw up my fish |
what do you suppose found?"
"A monsterr' some one yelled
''Oh. no; drew in the fish I had |
thrown out. No other fish had swal- |
lowed"
Mr. Bartlett looked up and saw the
members of the Bass and Bullhead rs.
sociation silently filing out of the
room. -41rkunsoU TraUe,er.