Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-04-20


Pop her through, boys; lively now," the
farmer father would say When corn planting
began, 'tor just as soon as the corn's in the
ground you can have whole day a-fishin'."
And then nll the fortnight's work would be
glorifed for the eager boys. The first
thought was for "a good spot for flshin'
worms" Certain places about the garden or
orchard wero for some reason famous for
angle worms An old tin bucket was the ia
vorte to hold the bait. The heavy old hoe,
often hammered out Of a discarded mill saw
by tho rural blacksmith, was the instrument
for unearthing said worms, which were
placed in fresh earth in the bait bucket that
they might retain life and health during tho
brief term remaining for them, till they
should be impaled TO tempt the scaly prize.
There is an old and not very appetiZing story
told along tho Wabash about once noted
fisherman whom a neighbor found one day,
seated by the creek, and accosted thus
Halo, Mr.. Smith, whatcher doin'p
"Fiff-n" dlshingl.
why don't you speak plant Whatever
got in yer mouthF'
so, no'tin but wu'ms fo' bait"
The old fellow had formed n sudden design
to fish on seeing the creek, had dug his bait
with a stick and was holding the reserves in
his mouth till he should need them There is
no other case of a man so devoted TO fishing.
LOOKING FOR SIGNS
The night before the promised day was al-
way one of mingled joy and anxiety to tho
farmer boys Would it raini Would tho
wind bo right How eagerly the heavens
were scanned Just before bedtime, and how
gladly young hearts beat If the great vault
was serene and blue. Sometimes 1t was lit
tie too blue, for there is occasionally an cx-
uaordinary softneSs and beauty in the blue
OF the sky, which country people know means
failing weather" Though they cannot de-
scribe it, tho stars shine with too lovely a
radiance the air is just little too soft and
seductive and the deep blue above seems a
little too lovely and, II the expression be al
lowed, more infinitely deep and distant than
usual. But if all is well, then awake, happy
boys, at the first blush Of dawn, dig bait by
the earliest light, eat breakfast in eager haste
then up and away over the hills and through
the dark green woods, all talking at once and
every fellow laughing at his own jokes, as
only care free boys can.
The creek once in sight all restraint Is lost,
AMI with a wild yell they break into a run,
tho big boy who carries il holding the bait
bucket high above his head us he runs and all
carrying their poles at ''trailed armsn
angle The yelling is prolonged till they
near the creek; then deep silence settles
down, Tor "ye mustn't talk, you know-not
loud anyhow" Then the old standard Jokes
are fired of. Don't swear, or you won't
catch any fish" "Bill seed a snake run in
that bresh you're on-I swear 10 gosh did /"
etc, with stories of other days when 1--WE
catched bushels Of fish,
II there are any girls in the party the
snake joke is worked for all il Is worth. The
worms are quickly impaled at length on the
barbed hooks, protesting by mute wriggling
DO ishin' worms have any feehn'p asks the
tender hearted child. "Naw-w,n replies an
Older boy, with prolonged emphasis. The
lines are thrown and there is dead silence,
eager expectancy, broken when the first fish
Is landed by wild yell from the successful
one and "S-s-s-hn from all the others. And
SO the days sport is fairly begun
THE QUESTION or BAIT.
AT later day worms were discarded for
bait and minnows substituted; little later
small frogs figured, then Clipped bits of beef
and grasshoppers, when they could be had,
and nnaliy tho patent fly, the appliances mul-
hplying just as the chance 10 utilize them
grew less. At length every one began TO OBJ
ssrxs Ihss .tte--a,s "a SsssSd a.L., =. =