Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-03-19

day we spent quietly, ana ns soon a.
night fell again padded across to the
pool, and getting under the shore, waited
Tor developments.
"All was dark, with that peculiar blue
blackness that precedes the rise of the
moon In the mountains, and over all
things lay the mist of night, broken
only by the katy dds or the buzz-z-z OF
a low flying night-hawk. Every now and
again the faintest breath swayed the
pines, and sent their soothing fragrance
floating over the water, and then, far on
the other side OF the lake, slowly APP
peared ray of FURNISHED silver, which
stole silently towards us across the bosom
of the water, rs the full moon climbed
the pine-clothed hill behind us, and
passed over into full view. II was as
light as day, except where we lay, in
deep shadow.
"Anxiously we cast our eyes around,
but no sign appeared, and at ten o'clock
my friend said, mo use tonight,
you paddle home, and ! will
troll as we go. may get a
rise. think this ghost business is a
fraud "a case of too much pie last even
ing. begin to think we dreamed it,
Il said nothing but padded slowly
along, while he stood forward, playing
his spoon, making thousand miniature
rainbows ut every splash as it fell into the
water, or was lifted from it. ga dream
was IT.! said suddenly, see therep
"Away off In the lake was the
ghost, flashing over the water
and disappearing as before. We
looked at each other. Get me
close, and I'll cast and hook it, SAID my
friend, and smiling at the idea of fishing
for ghost, turned the canoe in the di-
rection where it disappeared. Again it
rose, and l drove the canoe toward it
with all my strength, while my friend
held his rod poised ready to cast.
"'Therc it is, heading straight for us.
Hold her steady, hold' and looking
where he pointed, saw the thing speed
ing toward us. the white neck and
shoulders, and dark hair showing plain
ly in the moonlight, swaying with the
movement of the swimmer, to right and
left, as an insensible woman might.
Again it sank suddenly as it had ap-
peared, just beyond casting distance.
Lying quietly in our canoe, but ready
for action, we waited little time, and
then, with an ever widening ripple that
at last showed something material, il
rose again. Quickly the boat flew to
meet it.; another second, the shining
spoon flew out, but while the hooks were
in mid air again it sank, the spoon struck
the water with splash, and the can oe
shot over the spot, the hooks dragging
behind in her wake. A quick, sharp
pull on the line nearly carried the pole
from my friends hands, and recalled him
to himself. I've booked fish, he said,
and commenced to play 1t. And now
ensued curious sight, the fish,
evidently large one, rushed
hither and thither and once,
as it ran out nearly the
full line, aud then turned, we saw the
white arm CLEAN in the moonlight as il
appeared to reach over and seize the
| line as if to tear it loose. We were toe
busy to speak, for with moderate tackle
and birch canoe. heavy fish is nc
child's play to fight, but a quick glance
passing between us told our thoughts
and as another sudden rush, and turn,
almost under the boat, again brought the
arm to view, we knew we had hooked
the ghost, whatever it might prove
While the fight waged, at every turn oil
the fish, and slack of the line, drove
the canoe toward the shadows, for WI
had forgotten the gaff, and | meant t.
land the thing at all cost. Shorter anC
shorter grew the line, weaker aud weake
the struggles, until at last my paddle!
touched bottom. Bring it close as you
can and hold it, / said as l stepped
overheard into the warm water. The boa
swung around, the line hung quiverine
in front of me, as the conquered fish
turned at bay for the last time, and ther
with a step forward, sudden stoop,
grasp of the line with the left hand, anC
a reach downward with the right, tn
fingers and thumbs grasping the grea
fish by the eyes, while the hand, releas
ing the line, dipped under its body, ant
in a second it was in the canoe, and tn
ghost for ever laid. What do you thinl
It was, boysl A tremendous pike
twelve or thirteen years old, by his gre.
whiskercd snout and gills, weighing
about sixteen pounds, with frame t
support another ten pounds II he hat
been we'll fed. That was all-but Their
on his shoulders sat the ghost. 1t wa
the skeleton of a young sea eagle, who
swooping down at the fish, had met NOR
than its match. The talons of the bird
deeply embedded among the stout bone
of the back had prevented its release, AM
the fish, drowning the bird, had beel
forced to carry the skeleton around lik
an old man of the sea. Every time tn
fish rose to the surface, the white breast
bone and back CLEANED in the moonlight
while the feathers of the wings, matte
in weed had grown to be a veritable ga
den of water growths, and floating b'
hind gave the semblance of hair to tn
ghost. Our catch created quite stir
: the time, ana l have often regretted
did not keep the skeletons. Some yea
later. a well-known traveller told N
9 there were several such cases on recof
I in Europe; one in Lake Wetter, anoth.
y in Lake Fryksdal in Norway, and that
, each case the natives had been driven
y other fishing grounds by the ghost. p
5 brakes Magazine.