Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-02-27
a PlscAToR,AL DUDE.

A PISCATORIAL DUDE.
After Every Catch He Washed His Delicate
Hands.
1 saw in some newspaper recently
description of dude sportsman. gunner
or fisherman, forget which, and ''that
reminds me" of a fellow 1 saw one day
last summer just outside of Paris fishing
in the Seine.
To prelude, the laws are very strict
over there in regard to fishing and shoot
ing. The seasons open and shut like a
jack knife with a snap, and woe to
the transgressor. On a certain day in
July. I think, the season opens, and
long before daylight of the day the
banks of the river all along the Bots de
Boulogne are lined with fishermen sit
ting side by side and almost elbow to
elbow. / strolled down to the river one
day and witnessed the sport. Taking
out cigar l paid woman two sous
for chair and sat down to get a wrinkle
in French fishing. For half an hour all
sat in silence, with not movement.
Presently one fellow had nibble. I'M
mediately every eye was turned on the
little red float on his line. The float
moved perceptibly. The man, with
every nerve strained and eyes riveted
on the float, breathless with excite
ment, watched. The float dipped again.
The man pulled, the cork came to the
surface, but no fish. All along the line
of fishermen there was ejaculation of
"Ah" The disappointed fisherman put
on fresh bait and waited. Presently
the fish took hold again, and this time
he had him. Carefully he worked him
in to the bank and an attendant slipped
a delicate landing net under the fish and
carried him up the bank. There was
a cry all along the line of fifty
or more fishermen of ''Bon, bon, tres
JOLT" Several laid down their rods and
gathered around the basket, lined with
leaves, in which the fish was carefully
placed. He was monster, nearly six
inches long, and must have weighed
about four ounces. Then all went at it
again with renewed hope and courage.
Presently cab drove up, and there
descended from it a dude in an elabor-
ate sporting costume-eye glasses and a
broad brimmed hat. Walking leisurely
to the bank, man who had evidently
been sent ahead to secure a position,
vacated. a servant brought from the
cab a folding stool and placed it on the
bank; returning to the cab he produced
delicate rod and satchel. The rod was
put together, the satchel was opened and
a small silver bait box, a towel, a piece
of soap and bowl were placed on an
other stool alongside.
A servant opened an umbrella and
held it over the fsherman's head to
screen him from the sun, and the fish
ing began. 1t was a long wait for a bite.
Finally there was a nibble and a miss
several more nibbles and misses, and
presently there was a fish, sure enough.
The excitement all along the bank
was intense. With the aid of the land
ing net the fish was secured. The SER
want essayed to take it off the hook, but
the fisherman anticipated him and held
it up in triumph. But this opera
ton wet the dudes gloves and
he took them off and threw
them away. Things were getting in
teresting and exciting. and blank the ex-
pense. Presently another fish, which be-
ing secured, the servant dipped up water
from the river and handed the dude the
soap and towel and he washed his hands.
This was repeated every time he caught
fish. All this time gendarme had
been walking up and down; approaching
the lucky fisherman, there followed an
animated conversation. with much ges-
ticulating, seemingly protest against
such indiscriminate slaughter. The
dude waxed indignant and quit. The
servant unjointed the rod, gathered up
the stools, umbrella and fish baskets
and placed them in the cab which had
been waiting. The dude entered and
was driven off with his catch, number
ing about six, the aggregate weight of
which might have been two pounds-an
immense success. have no doubt this
great catch made an item in next morn
ing's paper, with the usual lie about the
weight of the string and the big one
that was lost.
1 had learned how the French do it.
Evidently little fishing goes long way
with Frenchman. No doubt my little
man went home, took rose water bath
and lay down to rest after such fatigu-
ing and exciting episode. 1 thought to
myself, how 1 would like to get that
chap out in the Rockies, on a thorn
brush creek, of a hot day, and make him
wade the stream, with an occasional
stumble over slippery bowlder and
souse under. What a power of good it
would do him, and what fun for me-
Forest and Stream
THE TOOTHSOME OYSTER.