New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-11
AN EEL FIGHTING 4 Cal.
ELECTION DAY SPORT AT CASTLE GARDEN.


OF all the busy places in this city, Castle Garden
election day probably presented the greatest con-
trast TO its every day 1t wore such deserted
and desoate appearance that casual visitor would
have been impressed with the idea that the ude OF I'M
migration to this country had ceased to HOW forever
! In place Of the throngs of immigrants usually seen
there were only ten mountaineering foreigners stroll
ing about the rotunda awaiting permits to lana or ior
friends to come and terminate their weary detention
! To them, no doubt, our Institutions were Ike the
ways Of the Heather Chnee, dark ana peculiar
! They evidently could not comprehend the excitement
of the few officials present and OF such casual NSors
as CHANGED to drop in and discuss the all absorbing
topic of who would be elected The poor creatures
looked dlsconsolate sad and the absence of the
busy railroad agents inquisitvc customs officers vigil
liant police and the repreSsble and hawklike board
g-house runner left them nothing to do but stare
vacantly at the architectural beauties OF the building
and gaze National flag, the only visible orna
ment of the institution which they had been led to
believe the emblem of liberty, doctrine they evil
IDENTIFY failed consider when applied to their
individual
In this deserted village however, reporter three
visitors, Tom cat and eel enjoyed for few min
ues the most lively kind of time. All the fun was
divided between the spectators and the cat though
the part of the latter not all comedy The unfor
tunate fish had the worst of the deal, he met an
untimely end
lone fisherman" sat on the edge OF the landing
dock and. as becomes a good sportsman, patiently
watched his line for the height of his amhition-a bite
His patience was rewarded, and after going through
that exciting performance known as hooking his
fish, he safely deposited the dock fine eel weigh
ing about and half pounds. fresh from the mud
whose first Impressions of American dry land were
evidently no more favorable than were those OF the
detained immigrants.
II there is one thing active than cat, Il is
an eel when he ashore but this eeps activity
parntly sound asleep basking in the about ten
wards away No sooner had the fisherman rebalted
his hook and resumed his occupation, than Tom was
wide awake and stealthily making racks for the
wriggling eel The spectators remained mouonless,
the cat within six feet of the fish, made one
bound and seized his prize by the back or thought
he did His victory short Proudly elcvattng
his head and with tail erect he started TO run away
with tho writing fish which twisted and wriggcd
until II got under tho cats fore feet. Tom slipped
on the Shiny eel and before he could recover, the
eel Topped him the head and then tvined around
his legs, until finally both rolled over one another
laugh from the spectators avoke the disciple OF Taak
Walton, who came to the rescue Of his fish, and
after driving the enemy away, and wrapping his prize
in newspaper. resumed his sport, and scoVled
The cat after running few yards sat down, washed
the slime from his paws, scratched his head, gazed
com placenty at the enragcd sportsman, and turned
his attention TO the newspaper, which was moving.
He again crept steathily TO the enemys rear quietly
pated the paper with his paw several times, and as
sisted the eel out of his unpleasant prcdcament; and
although the latter never got into the frying pan, he
certainly got into quite hot quarters the fire No
sooner was he free than Tom seized him by the neck
that is II eelS have such part in their
anatomy and another wrestling bout took pace
The fish trpped the cat up, Tom shook bis head and
took anothcr grip, received bang In the ribs from
the eel, ard then shook the fish as he would a rat
Just then the fisherman was busy tugglng at his
line and the had nearly killed his fish The man
turned round, and seeing that his prize was pretty
well mangled by the cat's teeth and claws, cuIiaed
the eel al both ends with penknifc. and handed
over the prize 10 the cat who tOtcd proudly away with
his prize and devourcd it with great complacency
under some loose planks which were lying on the
dock The fisherman returned 10 his line. and, after
considerable exercise OF patience and sMl. sfcly
landed a bunch of baggage checks which had been
dropped overheard from immigrant barge. and
which gratefully received by the solitary guard
Of Uncle Sans Revenues on duty "a Caste Gareh
good days sport-for the spectators and the cat