The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-15
ATALE OF TWO ANGLERS.
ONE OF THE BEST OF GUY DE MAU-
PEASANTS SPORT STORIES.


Game to the End, However, and
We're Not Like the Gudgeons They
Cav ght.
From the Strand Magazine.
Paris was Observation-Disclosures the
point of death. Even the sparrows on the
housetops were few and far between, and
the very sewers were in danger of becoming
depopulated. People ate any thing they
could get.
M. Morisot, matchmaker by trade, was
walking early one bright January morning
down the boulevards, his hands in the
pockets Of his overcoat. feeling hungry and
depressed, when he unexpectedly ran against
a friend. He recognized NJ. Salvage, an
old-time chum Of the riverside.
Every Sunday before the war Morisot
used to start at daybreak with his bamboo
fishing rod in his hand, his tin, bait and
tackle box upon his back. BE ed to take
the train to Colonies, and to walk from
there to the island of Maranthe. No sooner
than he arrived at the river than he used to
begin TO fish and continue fishing until eve
ming. Here every Sunday he used to meet
Monsieur Savange, a Inen-draper from
Paris, but stout and jovial withal, as keen
fisherman moreover as he was himself.
Often they would sit side by side, their
feet dangling over the water for half day
at a time and say scarcely a word yet little
by little they became friends. Sometimes
they never spoke at all. Occasionally they
launched out into conversation, but they
understood each other perfectly without its
aid, for their tastes and ideas were the
same.
On a spring morning in the bright sun
shine, when the light and delicate mist
lowered over the river and there two mad
fishermen enjoyed foretaste Of real sum-
mer weather, Morisot would say to his
neighbour "Heinl not bad, ehF'
And Salvage would reply: "Iknow moth
ing beat itn
This interchange of sentiments was quite
enough to engender mutual understanding
and esteem.
In autumn. toward evening, when the
setting sun redeemed the sky and cast shad-
ows of the fieeting clouds over the water
when the river was decked in purple; when
the whole horizon was lighted up and the
figures Of the two friends were illuminated
as with fire; when the russet-brown of the
trees was lightly tinged with gold. and the
trees themselves shivered with a wintry
shake, NJ. Savage would smile at Nj. MORT
sot and say, What sight, ehw
And NJ. Morisot, without even raising his
ewes from his float, would answer, Better
than the Boulevards, heinm
This morning, as soon as they recognized
each other, they shook hands warmly. quite
overcome at meeting again under such diff
fereut circumstances.
Monsieur Savage sighed and murmured.
"A nice state Of thIngs.n
Monsieur Morisot, gloomy and sad, an
swered, land what weather! To-day is
New Years day" The sky in fact was clear.
bright and beautiful
They began to walk along, sorro wful and
pensive. Said Morisot. "And our fishing, eh I
What times we used to haver'
Savage replied, "whez shall we have
| them againW
They went into little "cafen and had a
glass Of absinthe, and then started again on
their walk.
They stopped at another "cafe" for an
other glass. When they came out again
| they were slightly dazed, like people who
had tasted long and then partaken too
| freely.
1t was lovely weather; soft bresze
| famed their faces. NJ. Salvage, upon
| whom the fresh air was beginning to take
effect Suddenly said: Suppose we were
to gop
'FGo whereF'
why, fishinRm
"But whereF
ITO our island, of course The French
| outposts are at Columbes l know Col.
! Dumoulin; he will let us pass through easily
| enough"
Morisot trembled with delight at the
very idea: "All right, Pm your man."
They separated to fetch their reds.
An hour afterward they were walking
fast along the high-road toward the town
commanded by Col. Dumoulin. He smiled
at their request but granted it, and they
went on their way rejoicing in the posses
sion of the pass word.
Soon they had crossed the lines passed
through deserted Columbes, and found
themselves in the vineyard leading down to
| the river. 1t was about II o'clock
M. Savage pointed with lis finger
to the nights above and said ''The Prus-
slams are up there" and vague sense of
un 4asiness seized upon the two friends.
The Prussians They had never set eyes
upon them, but for months past they had
felt their presence near. encircling their
beloved Paris, running their beloved France,
pillaging, massacreing, Unsuitable, invinci-
| BILE, invisible, all-powerful, and as they
| thought on them sort of superstitious ter :
ror seemed to mingle with the hate they
bore toward their unknown conquerors.
Morisot murmured. Suppose we were to
| meet them" and Salvage replied, with the
instructive gallantry of Partisan, "Well,
we would offer them some of our fish for
| supper"
All the same they hesitated before ven.
turing into the country, intimidated as
they were by the all-pervading silence.
Eventually Monsieur Savage pucked
up courage; Come along, let's make art,
but we must be cautious"
They went through the vineyard, bent
double, crawling along from bush to bush.
ears and eyes upon the alert
Only one strip Of ground lay between
them and the river. They began to run,
and when they reached the bank thew
crouched down among the dry reeds for
shelter.
Morisot laid his ear to the ground to listen
for the sound Of footsteps, but he could
hear nothing. They were alone. quite
alone; gradually they felt treasured andsbe-
gan to fish.
The deserted island of Maranthe hid them
from the opposite shore. The little restau-
rant was closed, and looked as if it had been
neglected for years.
M. Savage caught the FIRST gudt con, M.
Morisot the second. And every minute they
pulled up their lines with a little silver
object dangling and struggling on the hook.
Truly. miraculous draught of fishes, As
the fish were caught they put them in a net
which hoated in the water ae their feet
They positively reveled in enjoyment of a
long forbidden sport. The SUI shone warm
upon their backs. They heard nothing
they thought of nothing-the rest of the
world was as nothing to them. They simply
| fished