The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1893-03-31
THE LAST TROUT.

| river RECEIVER tuc WdVSio anu
joined them to its own strong current,
which spun mighty eddy from bank to
bank. On the great rock at the edge of
the pool stood the trapper, in one hand his
rod in the other his landing net, while
large trout patched the gray rock with its
glorious color at his feet.
HELL weigh three pounds eff he'll weigh
an ounce" said the trapper as his eyes
rested admiringly on the catch, land the
thickness Of him shows he's had good feed
in. The Lord puts the same colors into
rainbows and stormy sunrises, but no.
| where else, as conceit. But how he can
put so much of the glory of the upper
world into the cold depths of the lower
and keep it all aglow there is more than
can understand. Yis, one fish be enough"
| continued the old man refectively as he
scanned the whirling water as il longing
| to make one more cast. 81 sartinly believe
the one that rose fust was pound heavier
than this one, but one fish be enough for
Christian man, especially eff he be shaped
and colored as this one is" and the old
trapper proceeded to gather his flies to his
reel.
| twas then that his ear caught the sound
of step coming down the trail toward
the rock on which he stood-a soft, quiet,
leisurely football, as of one who strolls
errandless onward, unhurried by duty and
wrapped perchance in grave or pleasant
| meditation. In a moment man Of vener-
able appearance came to the edge of the
river and gazed in placid contemplation at
the swirling stream. He was tall in stature
and spare as to his habit. His face had the
| scholars paleness and his shoulders the
| scholars stoop. In one hand he carried
small volume and in the other a spray Of
cedar he had evidently plucked from some
overhanging bough as he came down the
| trail. He was dressed in suit of black
| cloth, and his necktie was as spotlessly
white as his linen. A close fitting skullcap
Of velvet rested on his snowy locks.
He spied the trapper, and approaching
him said in finely modulated tone, IF
am not mistaken this is John Norton, the
trapper2"
"Yis, be John Norton" replied the old
man, land / have trapped good deal off
and on in the last seventy year. And who
be YEP"
81 am clergyman" said the other
pleasantly, sand in the city where preach
they call me the Rev. DR.. Davenport"
He held out his hand in formal but
courteous manner.
The latter took the pale, thin hand in
his own strong palm and shook it heartily,
saying:
81 am glad to see We face to face and
nigh by, reverend sir, for / remember
hearing we four summers agone up at st.
Regio. Ye was preaching from O text,
Woe be to We Pharisees,' and though I
couldn't git into the parlors owing to the
Of ri u la hot la1 md
had to hear what did through a winder,
yet managed to get the line of yer talk,
and the way ye warmed them Pharisees
made me feel comfortable in my mind,
for the Pharisees of the Scriptur' be very
like the thievin half breeds and vagabonds
that steal an honest trapper's skins in tine
woods, and l have spent q good deal Of
powder and lead in edicatin the knaves to-
ward righteousness when have ketched
them pilferin on the line of my traps"
"Well, WE'LL" exclaimed the old doctor,
evidently pleased that his companion had
heard him deliver one of his most cele-
brated discourses and so warmly approved
it. "Well, WE'LL l am glad to meet you
and that may almost call you one of my
parishioners, John Norton" and the doc
tor ubbed his white, thin hands together
and laughed decorous ana good natureu
little laugh.
81 don't know as ketch the full meanin
Of yer words" responded the trapper, "for
have never been caught in the churches
of the settlements and know leetle of their
agreements or their differences, but 1 sar-
tinly conceit that We had the right of it
techin them Pharisees, and that you and
l will stand side by side in the day of
Judgment and tell the Lord what we know
of their divilments, whether they lived
thousand year agone in JUDGE or was
sneakin around the woods when was on
the arth."
"Good graciousp' screamed the doctor,
where did that monstrors trout come
fromY'
"From the Lord, parsol,; yis, straight
from the Lord" answered the trapper
promptly. "As straight as brown hackle,
a 9-foot leader, an old bamboo rod and
good grip at the butt of the rod could
bring him. Do you know how to make
cast for 4-pounder yerself, parson?"
mo, mop exclaimed the old doctor of di-
vinity. "That is" he continued, sit is long
years since have allowed myself to touch
a rod or gun for fear of the consequences"
Consequences" returned the trapper.
don't understand ye."
"No, l know you cannot" replied the
OJner. HOW can II man OF your manner
o2 life understand it? But a man OF my
calling, trapper, should not even have the
appearance of evil or allow himself to fall
into the least semblance or worldliness,
much less to allow the pleasures of this
world to fasten their grip upon HIM, and
as a young man was excitable-very ex-
citable-and loved to shoot and row and
fish, loved the sports of blood and field, as
they are called. Yea, trapper, l loved
them like a sinner, and so, to avoid even
the appearance of evil and overcome the
riotous motions of nature within me,
broke away from all the exercises that
were so wildly exciting and joyous to my
nature, and"-and here the old doctors
voice shook-"it is forty years since this
hand has grasped rod or this finger put
its pressure on trigger"
Heavens and 'arthl' exclaimed the trap
per. "What a useless life ye must have
lived"
ut seems so to you, dare say" cried
the doctor. But placed as was Why,
John Norton, when l had been twenty
years in the ministry it was regarded as