The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-08-18
Al WONDERFUL BASS.
Tho Finny Pet of, Groyatono, and
TIA Many Tricka
II Jumps sratn5 the water ~ smap nalt
iram the Hand 81 ~ Owasr.
aud Comes Whenever
lie Calls


II Is uhaut two years ago that John
| Forson. the hcad gardcncrat tireystone.
| tho summer home 81 Tho lats samuel J.
Tilden. accompanied by some friends,
went over 70 tho Grassy Sprain for a
days fishing The tirassy Sprain ii
about a mile, from Greystone, and feeds
the reservoir which supplies Yonkcrs
and III Suburbs with water. II was d
| hot day The sum shona straight
Down from the shy and secned 10
scorel everything
lyon had better take pail along.
John, said companion, IL you want
to ret your iish home IN Roo,i shape.
The only way 10 carry them In this sun
| Is inn pail ~ winter They'll be- hall
baked before yau cpn git them home II
you let the sun Get Al them
Mr.. Iorson Thought that good idea,
SO when thr party started Giie carried
n two quart tin Pail for 80 fish that
ftthey expected q catch Ain Forson
has never ceased oongratainting him.
self upon that preeantion II IL had
not been for that pail the wonder Of
Gfeystnne would havn tlica before he
had chance To exhibit the talents
/ which have made him famous.
Tho fishing was MT good that day.
Perhaps the SUMS fierce rays penetrated
into the fmpid winters and caused the
fish 10 feel the Same laIiguor that
makes mankind Ioath TO stir on very hot
| days. Perhaps the fishermen felt the
heat 40 much that they did not anglo
| with their usual skill. However that
may be, when the men lay down under
the trees and ate their noon luncheon
| not single bite Ind rewarded their
repeated casting under the burning
sun Continued efforts In the after
noon met with no better success, and
they were about to unjoint their poles
| and 70 homo when Mr.. Forsous line
Strengthened out The fisherman
| hauled lii d black bass less than SIX
| inches long but plump and vigorous The
| little fellog had been hooked through
the nose, and did notappenr 70 he much
hurt
Mr.. Forson took him of the hook
very gently Then he filed the pail
with water and put the fish into II.
He shook himself for moment and
then dartcd about with grent rnpidity.
| Having discovered the boundaries Of
his prison he took things more easily
and moved about gently and lazily.
| sI'll keep him." said Mr.. Forson,
thonghtfully, '.and put him with the
carp He ought to get along pretty
well with them.
SO the bass was carried 70 Greystone
/ and put into pool Of clear water. A
4 lot Of palms and varied subtropical
| plantsigrow upon petrificd logs piled
| IN artistic confusion over the pool The
basin, which Is in ono OF the green
houses. is circular and about six feet
| across. The water In 1t III usually about
two feet deep and is fed by pipes from
/ the same reservoir in which the bass
1 had lived before his capture. The pet
/ rified logs, which came from north
| western New York. look like big
| chunks Of brown pumice stone. They
have been SO arranged that while they
| throw deep shadows into the water
| they do not prevent n free circulation
i OF air The water Is hidden by them
in places and only appears in the shape
Of little pools between the logs,
Il
| found a new home, Is the center one Of
a number devoted to tropical and sub
tropical plants. Enormous palms. ferns,
cactis and strange lowering plants fill
4 every available space The rays Of the
/ sun, which find their way through the
i glass roof over the basin, nre trans
4 formed into many colors before they
i reach the water, for there are colored
panes Of glass at that point, On the
/ hottest days the greenhouse Is only
| warm, and on the coolest the tempera-
/ turc Is comfortable. There are NO such
| extremes III heat and cold as the bass
was accustomed To in his former home,
| but he has thriycd, nevertheless
4 When he was first dropped into the
basin he found the water occupied by
three German carp and q sunfish The
4 carp lasted only ashort time. He must
j have swallowed them whole, for not
| even bone or tail could be found by
Mr.. Forson when he came TO look for
the unfortunates. The sunflsh SUR
yiyed Ills sharp exterior bones have,
thus far saved him, but the bass leads
him d sad life.
4 For some time after he began his
i new life the bass was very shN A
mere, glimpse Of his nose, peeping out
Of the shadows cast BY tho logs, was
/ all that could be seen. But Mr.. Forson
A was patient lie had once trained some
| goldfish 10 snap worms out IF his fin
gers, and ne did not despair OF conquer
4 ing the bass. The latter showed great
deal Of intelligence. mixed with spirit
j Of rnischievonsness After his fear Of