The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-09
CHAPTER 1.
A RESCUE.

New OK, DuL the eNlueuCes Oi I6NlNeu
Nature were not yet visible. The morn
ing's sun revealed cOlOrless landscape of
withered brown, with patches OF dirty
snow living here and there in the hollows
of the fields, and. cleaning little banks OF
ii dotting the distant hills.
Capt Lane stood on pile of timbers
that had been brought and left convenient
to the stone foundations that had been
built for his new barn. He was looking
for his carpenters, who were overdue, and
was not relieved when he saw. not the
men he was expecting, but tall man,
with q severely solemn face and rusty
clerical dress, approaching with long, swift
strides down the muddy highway, ac-
companied by a short, square built boy
with light hair and face inclined to
freckles; both carrying fishing rods
"Well, l swami grumbleG the captain.
'SThat minister don know enough to
poun' sand, but l she'd think Stubby
Davis 'ud know better'n to go a-fshin'n
snow water" And the irascible farmer
turned to examine the quality of the tim
bers, seemingly oblivious OF The presence
OF the fishermen.
GOOD day, Capt Lane; nice morning
isn't it" called out the passing gentleman,
with formal pOliteness.
The captain looked up il,-humoredly and
gave an uninteliigible grunt, but SAID
nothing.
"Ah," said the clergyman, land these
are the walls for your new barn are they
and how large will it be ?"
Just the size OF the foundation" said
the captain testify.
"Whv and so YOU are going 10 build the
barn so close as this to the road, are your
continued the lank gentleman, still IN
abashed.
A look OF supreme disgust passed over
the expressive features of the captain.
"Naw, he said, with intense sarcasm.
81 only dug the suller an laid the walls
here cause it was handy. II you'll tell
me where I'd better put my barn I'll pull
EN- up an move 'em where you say. You
goin' a-fishin' Stubby?" he asked, turning
abruptly 20 the boy1
'Yes. Sir"
'Well, I vuml didn't 'spose you wuz
zech dunn fool; you don't expect to catch
nothin' ?"
''Y essir, 1 heard a robin yesterday"
'Ye did. hey? an he told you to 90
a-fshin' ?' said the captain with look
of astonishment
NO, sir; but when robins come around,
amt it time TO go?"
''Oh. vas. and you'll probly catch n
whale You Jest keep right on believin'
foolishness till you git your eye-teeth cut
but look ont for the trout paster-I turned
the black bull in there this mornin'"
The fishermen continued their way
silently until they reached the point on
the road where the trout stream crossed
it.
IF 1 were at home, in England, I
should say that 1t was useless TO fish in
such water" said the clergyman, looking
obviously at the swollen, roilv stream,
'but 1t is q fact accepted by all authori-
ties that the habits of trout vary in differ
ent countries and even in neighboring
stream" -and he laid down his tackle
and continued ogmatically-"Now the
case Is thus They tell me, Ira, that YOU
are the most successful young fisherman
around here il therefore follows that You
know best when 70 fish in this stream
but the fact Is so curious that | will lot
down in my note book that. in New York
state. when robins first appear in the
spring, experienced fishermen know that
trout will bite, notwithstanding the condi-
ton of the water"
Better wait an see If they do bite"
said the boy, who had arranged his tackle,
and was already fishing from the bridge.
The man put back his pencil, already
poised in the act of writing, and carefully
replaced his book in the deep pocket of
his lOng-skirted coat.
"A cage remark an uncommonlv sage
remark, said he; and he began to alb
sently arrange his own tackle, for the boy
had passed on down stream, and was fish,
ing with all the skill and absorption in his
work that marks the natural born angler.
A long time passed thus. The clergy
man fishing mechanically and by fits and
starts, for in little while he had become
absorbed IN the preparation Of a sermon
from the text of Peters words: 81 90
a-hshing, and when particularly good
thought struck him he would drop his
rod and pull out the book and write it
down with great elaboration, but the boy
fshed faithfully.
He crept carefully up to where the water
flowed silently under logs or stumps, or
swlred around bend in the creek, wash
ing out convenient lurking holes for the
fsh; he patiently waded in the ice-cold
water through the rifles and haited his
hook in the most attractive manner with
the largest and fatiest of worms-and in
the choicest places, places where he knew
the shy trout ought 10 be- must be-used
the three white grubs with which he
started, and when he finally reached the
rail fence that was the boundary to Capt.
Lanes trout pasture, he had not caught a
fish. He sat OH the top rail OF tile old
fence and was just finishing mis- lunch of
five cookies and a piece OF pie. when his
companion caught mp with him and said :
The robin theory doesn't seem to hold
good, does it?"
mo, sir" said the lad disconsoIately.
"Shall We fish through this pasture to
the road and 90 homer"
"The black bulls in here; but it's the
best part Of the creek, If you amt afraid. -
said the boy somewhat aDbiguously.
The man looked down on the boy con-
descendingly. 1t was not in the Rev. Mr..
DowdalPs nature TO miss so excellent an
opportunity for an impressive lecture.
They walked onislowly, the boy stopping
to fish in the most favorable places, but
also receiving constant stream of insruc-
ton. They were about two-thirds of the
way across the large field. and Mr.. Dowd-
all was saying that a firm will and a
higher intellect cowed the lower orders
into submission.
"Why." said the minister. drawing him
sell up to bis full height, "if the widest