The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-09-08
Al WONDERFUL BASS.
I-ao Finny Pet Of Greystone, and
It's Many Tricks.
II Jun,pg from the water to Snap Bait
from the Hand of Its owner,
aid Comes whenever
He Calls

It Is nbout two years ago that John
fos 90, the head gardener at Greystone.
tns summer home Of the late Samuel J.
'i.stien, accompanied by some friends,
went over to the Grassy Sprain for
days fishing The Grassy Sprain Is
ts,out 4 mile from Greystone, and feeds
the reservoir which supplies Yonkers
and lis suburbs with water 1t was q
hot day The sun shone straight
down from the sky and seemed to
scorch everything.
.'You had better take pail along,
John, said Il companion, IF youswant
to get Your fish home in. good shape.
Tho only way to carry them in this sun
Is in pail Of water They'll be half
baked before you can get them home II
you let the sun get AT them.
Mr.. Forson thought that good idea,
so when the party started one carried
two quart tin pail for the fish that
they expected to catch Mr., Forsop
has never ceased congratulating HIM
& self upon that precaution. III it had
not been for that pail the wonder Of
Greystone would have died before he
had d chance to exhibit the talents
which have made him famous
The fishing was not good that day.
Perhaps the suns fierce rays penetrated
into the limpid waters and caused the
fish to feel the same languor that
makes mankind loath to stir on very hot
days. Perhaps the fishermen felt the
heat so much that they did not angle
with their usual skill. However that
may be, when the men lay down under
the trees and ate their noon luncheon
not single bite had 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 90 home when Mr.. Persons line
Strengthened out. The fisherman
hauled III black bass less than six
incheslong but plump and vigorous. The
little fellow had been hooked through
the nose. and did not appear to be much
hurt.
Mr.. Forson took him off the hook
very gently Then he filled the pail
with water and put the fish into it.
He shook himself for moment and
then darted about with great rapidly.
Having discovered the boundaries of
his prison he took things more easily
and moved about gently and lazily.
.I'll keep him." said Mr. Forson,
thoughtfnlly, ''and put him with the
carp He ought TO get along pretty
well with them"
So the bass was carried to Grcystone
and put into pool of clear water. A
lot Of palms and varied snbtropical
plants grow upon petrified logs piled
in artistic confusion over the pool The
basin, which is id one of the green.
houses, is circular aud about six feet
across The water in it Is usually about
two feet deep and Is fed by pipes from
the same reservoir in which the bass
had lived before his capture. The pet
riied 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 free circulation
OF air. The water is hidden by then
In places and only appears in the SHAPE
N 81 little pools between the logs.
The greenhouse, in which the bas.
found new home, is the center one o
a number devoted to tropical and sub
tropical plants Enormous palms. ferns
eactis and strange Towering plants fiji
every available space. The rays Of til,
sun, which find their way through tn,
glass roof over the basin, are trans
formed into many colors before the,
reach the water for there are coloret
Panes Of glass at that point On tn
hottest days the greenhouse is onl,
warm, and on the coolest the tempera
ture is comfortable There are no sucI
extremes of heat and cold as the bas
was accustomed to in his former home
but he has thrired, nevertheless.
When he was first dropped into tn
basin he found the water occupied b
three German carp and sunfsh TIL
carp lasted only short time He mus
have swallowed them whole, for nc
even a bone or tail could be found b
Mr. Forson when he came to look fc
the nnfortunates. The sunfish SUI
Sived Iiissharp exterior bones hay
thus far saxed him, but the bass lead
him sad life.
For some time after he began b
new life the bass was very shy.
mere glimpse Of his nose, peeping d,
Of the shadows east by the logs, WI
all that could be seen But Mr. Forsc
was patient lie had once trained SON
goldfish 70 snap worms out of his al
gers, and he did not despair Of conque
ing the bass. The latter showed . gre,
deal Of intelligence. mixed witha spir
a