The Republican journal., 1888-01-19
The Trouble with Goldfish.

We accepted the urgent invitation of the fore
man of a Cook county, Wy, stock ranch to
stop and take dinner with him one afternoon.
As we sat down to the meal he passed a susp-
cious looking dish, and said:i
''That's what they call goldfish"
Goldfish always goes to the right spot with
me- replied Briar politely.
'That may not. though, continued our host
as he wiped his knife on his boot leg before
helping himself to some butter. 1--WE had the
doggondest time raStIin' with that air crtter of
a fish that | ever had in all the cookin' | ever
done"
what was the trouble with it,
80 thunderin' salt. This is the fourth or
fifth whack Eve took at it, tryin' to git up Il
mess that we could eat 'thout gon' down to a
deep place in the creek an stardin in the water
up to our nCcks the rest of the day."
1T was worse than they usually are, eh:'
"Worse'n ever tackled, anyhow. You see, |
sent down after it by Shorty, here, and told him
to cit a big ull-we'd been havin' bacon every
meal for between three an four years, an |
was bound to have Il change or bust. Shorty
packed it home tied onto the saddle, an when
he brought it in and busted it off with his hat
and looked at it, says: Shorty, she's dandy.
Goldfish for breakfast or I'm Mexican! 1t
wasn't no souch OF fish, either; it was long
and well put uI. a little heavy in front. |
thought, but then fish amt built like a steer or
= ho,s. Its head was cut off and it was all
dressed III good shape, only its tail was left on,
but shorty said that was to handle it by; an
then he tried to pound Inc over the head with
1t in fun, hut Il yankcd it away from him an
hung it up by my Winchester, where the dog
couldn't cit it, and left it there for the night.
Next mornin' we got NJ early an cut of a
steak from round the neck of our fish, cooked
it, slapped it onto the table an yelled Break
fast" Then wewadedin into it. 1t tasted a deal
like takin' big lump of salt on your fork,
hitin' off mouhful chewin' N sWallerin' it,
an gon for it again. The boys kicked, but |
tod 'em Goldfish was al'ays salt, an we
cleaned it out at last. Then we went down to
thc creek an sort o laid round till noon an
robbed the 20G0 head . cattle there is ON the
ranch of the Watert they orter had. never saw
no hing hang by Il fellcr like that fish did.
| Bout noon | come back up an put the critter
to soak in Il water bari. We left it there till
the next mornn an tackled it again Still too
salt. Then left it two days an took another
whack at it. Couldn't 90 it vet. Then tied
Ole end Of Il lar'at round its tail an let it down
in the we'll an left it a week. BY that time the
water was so salty we couldn't use it. but it
hadn't freshencd the cod enough to speak of.
; Then hove it upon the roof am let it rain on
il Il couple o times an afterwards r'arod it up
| on a pole in front O the shack an let the wind
kinder blow through its WhiskerS for few
days. 1t seemed to be gcttin' some better. but
we still went in more on bacon than we did on
fish. | was mad by this time an | took it to
the creek an staked it down to the bottom,
Where the current was rapid, All, said if it didn't
spoil the watc1 fol the stock I'd leave it there
month. 1t staid there till yesterday, when one
o the boys brought it up. 1t was -cttin' quite
soft an timber like. an | reckon We've downed
il at last. 1t may be a little water soaked, but
the salt is knocked. tell you the ocean must
be powerful sight saltier than | ever lowed
it was to git fish loaded plumb full of it like
| this I'm was. This ranch buys fresh water fish
after ,his. I'll be hanged il b'lieve Il tish is
tit to eat after its >wum round in salt water
lnebby ten years an got it all soaked through
| it. should think they'd have scales on em to
kinder Keep it out partly" Chicago Tribune