Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-05-24
He Caught a Smoker.

"Bill Charters said man in
Main street cigar store TO Stockton
(CaL) Mail reporter. was fond of fish
ing. On inter evenings at home. if
he had nothing better tO do. he would
haul out his fishing tackle and inspect
il thoroughly, and then, after making
two or three ncw-fangled tly-honks.
he'd place the outfit back in IT'S hox,
at the same Time knowing that he'd he
unable tu use his tackle for prnbatly
six mouths
"B;ll lived in Boston W en- ! first
knew him. That was Is or 20 Years
ago. He was a tiuSmith 10y trade. |
went up one night TO see him con-
corning some work lie had been en-
gagged on for several days. Bill was
in the dining-room examining his
fishing tackle when | entered.
"One huge batch of hooks attracted
my attention There was probably 80
very small eyehooks. all scwed secure
ly to Jagged piece OF cloth string
drlling-about The size Of your land.
"'Bill, said /. taking the hook-coy-
ered cloth in my hand, did you ever
catch any fish with this arrangement
Yes, sir he answered with n
laugh, Il caugat a sucker on that
collection last fall that weighed 100
pounds.
"'Where and how. asked, hardly
knowing what Bill meant, rs ! had
never seen u sucker that eighcd more
than three or four pounds.
"'Just this way, replied Bill. One
night my wife and decided to 20 to
the theatef. When we reached the
box-oflice there was n perfect jam OF
people. left my " life near the door
while struggled bravely to reach the
ticket window. asked for two dress
circle tickets. aud when put my hand
in my pocket to get the money to pay
for them | discovered that my pocket
book was gone. "Stolen! exclaimed
/, and reiterated.
MRS. Charters and | walked home.
She felt disappointed; she wanted to
see that play. A thought struck me
instantly, and just as quickly as possi-
BILE put my plan INTO execution.
Turning my money pocket inside out
| hastily scwcd all the small fshhooks
| had to t. c inside of that pocket in
such manner that when my pocket
was showed back to its proper position
the barhs of the hooks stood out and
pointed downward.
IL took some more money with me
but placed II IN another pocket
and again we started for the theater.
There was still considerable of Il crowd
in the neighborhood Of the box-ollice
and once more began edging my
way through for Ike purpose OF sccur-
ing tickets. | allowed my ishAOok
money pocket to take care of itself.
just as vas being handed my
ticket felt bite. attempted TO
turn round, when found had hooked
a very inc-looking sucker in the shape
of wel-lressed man who wore q
shiny tile. paid no attention to his
Juggling at my pocket, rs know after
one or two tugs he'd quit. When
reacted my wife she said: william,
who is this gentleman with your ]
told her he vas very particular friend
of mine.
can officer standing at the door ac-
companied my friend and me, at my
request, into an adjoining room, where
| explained matters. / recovered my
lost pocketbook and greenbacks. 1t
was keeping company with seven other
similarly situated purses. ! had to cut
the pocket out to hand the thief over
to the officer, but it was returned to
me after the doctor succeeded in get
ting the hooks out of the fellows
hand.
"'Yes, concluded Bill, me was the
biggest sucker | ever caug!it-must
have weighed at least 100 pounds, and
this is no fish story. either"