Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-07-31
IRONTON. MO. z. JULY
NUMBER 4.

the country. They were all with us.
Just before dark, pard and made a
big torch by cutting a large fat pine
log We found on the bank of the river
in lengths of four feet; then split it in
lengths about an inch square. We
splieed them in until we had torch
aoout twelve feet long, bound together
with bark. AS it grew dark, we set
fire to one end of the torch. took it
on my shoulder: / was to be torch
bearer. Pard was to DO the killing. A
young fellow went along with long
bark, to string the fish as fast as killed.
All the fellows who were out on the
bank-and there was good crowd
would keep along the bank and watch
us who We're in the river, some times
up to our necks. How fast we did
fill string after string. When we had
a COOL long bark full we would hand
it to the boys on the bank to carry. We
waded all the way from the Silver
Mines up to Stout's Creek. Some
times, we would have to come out and
go around some deep place; but, like
ducks. were back in again as soon as
we could touch bottom. When we
reached the mouth of Stout's Creek
We found large school of very fine
red-horse. Some were very large. l
tell you, Mr.. Editor, we made 1t lively
for those fish for awhile.
AS that was as far as we were going
to fish, we sent all the boys on ahead to
where there was good camping place
among some cedars, to build good
fire, and four or five of the Toys to go
to that corn-fisld close by and get a
good lot Of roasting ears. When Old
Pard said, "Let's quit" and got to the
fire, the boys had about one hundred
and fifty big ears of corn. 1 tell you it
did not take US long to get each of us q
good stick and sharpen one end to stick
in the bed of the cob, to hold it, over
the fire to roast. o, such a comfort!
And there We roasted corn, and ate
and ate to our full satisfaction. don't
think 1 ever ate so much corn at one
sitting as cid that night. o, it was
jolly! aud the boys kept it up until the
light began to appear in the east.
AS coon as it was light, we piled all
the fish in large pile, all sitting
around in a large circle. Old Pard
picked out very large red-horse, and
said, That's for old Father Russell" ="
Then he began by taking the largest
and throwing fish to each one in the
circle. So round and round, until the
last and least had been distributed.
Every boy got his equal share-ail
Jared alike-and each had as many
as he could well stagger under. l
never learned how many hundred fish
we did Kill that night, but an awful
sight, and of all kinds and of all sizes.
After all were ready, we took up the
line of march for home which we
reached about IL o'clock. When we
came to the gate, father came from the
garden, where he had been hoeing.
said, "Pa, are you pretty hungry? for
we have got lots of heads, scales and
the like" When the boys took the
sack from the horses back and emptied
the fish on the ground, he said, You
have done pretty well, but we'll eat
the fish first, and then we will talk
about the rest afterwards" And
didn't we have fried fish for dinner-a
platter piled high with them. Do you
think ill ever forget that night? No!
II. P. r.