The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-22
SPOOPENDYKG CRAB FISHING.

| AHo EaAultlnB experience OF hiFH' D. Nnu HeF
Spouse During n Days Outing,
Brooklyn Eagle.
Coming up the river the other day, I
saw q middle.aged gentleman In plug
hat and business suit seated In scow
beside an attractive lady, feeling around
among lot OF strings pendant from the
side Of the boat and warning the lady
that she could not keep too quiet,
snow, my dear" observed the gentle.
man, don't you move, because / feel a
crab on this line, I'll pull him up until
he Is in sight, and then you slip the net
under him, SeeP
eyes, dear" replied the lady, a little
tlustered Us she contemplated her Ghare
OF the performance. "But, Mr., Spoop-
endyke, what shall l do when get the
net under him?"
"scalp himI" returned Mr.. Spoopen-
dyke, drawing slowly on the line, "Now,
wait, he's there" and Mr.. Spoopendyke
became even more cautious In his move
ments, "see him! There he is! Scalp
him QuickW
Mrs, Spoopendyke jabbed the net into
the water and swashed around with
"What yedoing2" yelled Mr.. spoopen,
dyke, Strengthening up and glaring at
her, as the crab struck line for New
ark bay. "What'd ye think | had there,
the bottom OF the rlverP What'd ye sup.
pose was trying to catch, church ?
Take it out! Give 1t here!" and he grasp
ed the old lady around the waist and
took the net away from her.
"Dld | scalp himP" asked Mrs.
Spoopendyke, flushed with her exer-
tions and trembling with excitement.
"show him to mel Let me see what he
looks like"
Looks like% roared Mr.. spoopen.
dyke. "He looks like Sandy Hook by
this timel Why didn't ye scalp him?
What's the matter with you"
Ill couldn't tell which was his
head" faltered Mrs. Spoopendyke, who
hadn't seen anything at all. "Pull him
up again, and you'll see II don't scalp
the last hair on his skullm
"Now you be Carefnl," he said at
length. "Here's another varmint, and
you mustn't let him get away. When !
say 'sCalp.' you shove the net under
him and Just bring him aboard"
"Can you see him YETI" asked Mrs,
Spoopendyke, waving the net over her
head and peCring into the water.
"Walt Yes, there he isl Careful, re-
member. Now, scalp"
He must have been crab Of phenom-
enal scholastic advantages to have gotten
rid OF the swoop, for Mrs. SpOopendyke,
with view to redeeming herself, went
for the end OF the string blindly, but
with q strength Of purpose that made
failure impossible. She not only got
the crab, but she slammed net, crab and
all over Mr.. Spoopendyke's head.
"What-wah-hW shrieked that gen.
tleman as he felt himself impounded.
"Lost him again" exclaimed Mrs.
spoopendyke, who hadn't the remotest
idea what a crab looked like. "Why,
dear, what's that awful big spider in the
"Take It off" howled Mr.. spoopen.
dyke. "Takeit-wowl The thing has
got me by the ear! Haul him of, will
ye~
Mrs. Spoopendyke dropped the han.
die OF the net as II were an old.fashioned
bonnet and gazed upon her husband in
CONSERVATION. ~
"Let 90, you brutel" yelled Mr..
Spoopendyke, tearing the net away.
"Wah.haI" and tho unfortunate man
wrenched the fish from of his ear and
dashed 1t into the bottom Of the boat.
whats your scheme in doing that 2"
he demanded, holding his ear.
"Was that a crab, dear ?" asked Mrs.
Spoopendyke, assisting her husband to
rise and contemplating the fish with
anything but favor. rs that what you
call a crab? l thought"
"You thought" ripped Mr.. spoopen-
dyke, kicking at the bewildered crab.
"rhats the trouble with you-you
think Did We think l was going TO
stand here and let that crab chew on my
ear till his legs aChed2" and Mr.. Spoop.
endyke plunged the oars into the water
and began to row vigorously.
"Where are you going, dearP" asked
Mrs. Spoopendyke, timidly, after her
husband had pulled hard for some time.
"Homel" grinned Mr.. spoopendyke,
with horrible expression Of viSage,
"I'm going home"
"Oi course" assented Mrs. spoopen.
dyke, humbly, "but say, dear, wouldn't
you got on faster II you united the
boatT
Mr.. spoopendyke turned and gave q
sharp look at the bow, Then he hauled
his hat down over his ears, stepped
ashore and struck out at brisk walk.
az don't know" sighed Mrs. Spoopen.
dyke, az took her boat In tow. ~
don't know, but / don't think care
much for grabbing, though Pm not sure
but what it's more fan than walking
home on the wrong side Of the river
with no bridge within seven miles either
way"
nyIy A gIlnIl1, nIpW