Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-11-18

away from all the exercises that are
SO wildly exciting and joyous TO my
nature. and and here the old doc
tors voice shook it is forty wears
since this hand.has grasped a rod or
this finger put its pressure on a trig-
ger"
Heavens and arth.' exclaimed
the trappcr. What useless life
We must have liz ed"
ut seems so TO you. | dare SAY"
| cried the doctor. but placed as |
was-Why John Norton. when | had
been twenty years in the ministry it
was regarded as deadly sin for a
clergyman to skate or slide down hill.
or shoot rifle. and in the winter
months when the snow lay soft on the
hills and the clouds were as lead and
the air hollow ! have locked myself
in my chamber and buried my head
IN the pillows that | might not hear
the glorious music OF the hounds us
they raced noses breast high. after
the flying game"
Friend, )" said the trapper, 'ye
have done injustice to yer natur', that
fine natur' the Lord give We at birth.
and sold yer birthright of happiness
for mess OF miserable pottage. Ye
| have fed yer feelin's on husks when
the plenty and merriment of yer
fathers house was open to ye. Here.
take the rod, take the rod | say. and
let yer old fingers feel the heft OF it
| and yer ears hear the whirr of the
reel once more" and the trapper
literally thrust the rod into the white
hand of his hesitant companion.
, But oh, the change that came TO
the old minister us his tapering fin
gers closed on the polished butt. lie
fairly caressed the reel with his
white thin hands; his eyes lighted us
he poised 1T as for a cast; his form
Strengthened and his left foot was
| pushed forward a fine flush glowed
through the pallor OF his cheek; he
| seized the leader and with wide
sweep OF his hand drew dozen yard $
| from the reel and laughed allow. hap.
| Ply laugh at the singing thereof
Make cast make a cast ;" cried
! the trapper. 'Lengthen the line
and make a cast to tho far edge of
the pool where yon bubbles be in
line. If the Lord sends We the trout
he ought to send ye he will take
| twenty years from yer head to the
bottom OF the river with him."
Then and there. on the ledge that
luts into the Racquetts tide jus; be-
low the mouth of the Cold river did
the church of Common Sense become
incarnate. As Ole Bull would stand
posed before the expectant thousands
when he Lifted his bow so vibra mt,
erect graceful stood the old divine
ready for the cast In an instant
came the motion of the arm. the turn
OF the wrist that all anglers know but
no words may describe. and up went
the flies into the air. few backward
and then shot straight out over the
whirling tide Downward they hoated,
| lighted like vagrant feathers amid the
bubbles. and
''Salvatioh' screamed the doctor
"A trout" trout such as is rarely
seen hung in the air three good feet
above the flies and the bubbles Tail
Hat and big as a single mouth open,
belly red as n stormy sunrise fins like
a rainbow the huge sides dotted with
shot of rcddest rose-so hung. in full
sight for a moment above the dark
stream. then fell with mighty fash
aud was gone.
n Cast agin, cast agin at the Same
spot and if he lifts. strike quick and
strike hard, in honor of the rod and
the pool and yer boyhood days. and
be hanged to the Pharisees. yelled
the trapper
Oh. the cast that the old doctor
made and the answer that flashed
from the depths. The nervous OLD
wrist struck quick and struck true,
the twisted silk shrunk to the strain
and the water flew in fire mist from
the braids, SO strong was the stroke
and so heavy the fish. Then down,
downward he plunged. full of force.
full OF fire, Il line breaker a rod
smashcr is he and through the
! strong. swirling current he tears like
/ a sub marine bolt fred to kill See
the line cut the water. See the rod
sway and CULVER! Hear the shrill CRY
OF the reel see the old minister's face,
the flush of the cheek. the CLEAN in
the eye the set look of the mouth,
the white hair flying free. Then see
| the great fish on the bank. the two
white headed men bending over it;
hear their laughter, see their clasped
hands; see the old divine fine caper
like the flourish that precedes the Jig.
and the green balsams and pines, and
through their dark branches patches
and spaces of blue sky. Can you not
see the picture and sketch you.
brother angler, that hangs in my
memory over the big ledge on the
Rac3uette just below where the cool
current of Cold River flows in
Many things have we lost aud many
changes have come to me. AS to thee,
with the years. Faces which were
10 our eyes like stars to dark skies
have faded from sight; voices whose
greetings and farewells made music
to our ears sound no more. and hands
that clasp ours warm and true we in
! the throng of 10 day reach for in
vain seek and find not. But the
rivers on which we boated. TIE lakes
where we camped. the streams that
we iished the hills and the mountains
/ the lilies and wild roses the green,
fragrant trees, the still. lonely camps
that we made years ago-these we
see as OF old. These memory holds
dear and hangs high in her hall. and
white and our eyes grow dim. while
a