Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-04-28

There is queer old party who has been
fishing on the r wharf nearly every day
lately. He wears an old SLOUGH hat, and
his ancient habiliments are weighted down
with thick fade and real estate, with per-
haps a little personal property thrown
in. He has very rosy cheeks and nose,
which are perhaps not wholly due to the
salubrious breezes and general healthful-
ness of Fish Wharf. He is evidently one
of that kind of individuals that live to
fish, and not fish to live.
Saturday afternoon some of the "boys"
thought they would play little joke on
him. They waited until he had wound
the end of his line around the top of
pile and started down the wharf to get his
hourly "bOoze."
They took a big ball of Irvine, which
they had soaked thoroughly in bucket of
dirty water to give it an old appearance,
and attached heavy snker to it from the
centre so as not to hinder its unwinding.
Then they went over to the corner of the
wharf and pulled up the old fisherman's
line, and, taking off the hooks, tied the
end of the ball of Irvine neatly on to the
end of the fish-line and threw it overheard.
In few moments the worthy fisherman
came meandering back, and sat down on
the string piece and took his line again.
1t was some time before he got sufficiently
impatient in waiting for bite to pull in
his line. But he did presently, and began
to haul in. He pulled in yard after yard,
and, his hooks not appearing, he paused
and looked around him. No one was APP
parently watching him. Several urchns
were fishing near him and from the stern
of a schooner Just at his right, but they
seemed intent upon their lines. The stu
pid countenance Of the ancient individual
had puzzled expression as once more he
grasped his line and began to haul in Wig
Orously. The line came in just as vigOr-
ously as he hauled on it, and when he had
landed half a mile of string or so he stop
ped suddenly again, and his puzzled eX-
preston changed to one of wonder, if not
alarm.
"Boyl" he called thickly to the lad that
was nearest to him, ''do you see me?''
"Of course l sees yer-I amt blind"
I'm here on the wharf, fishin', amt
Iq"
"Wot yer givin' discourse you isl
81 amt drunk, be II"
"Naw-you're all right"
ibid l have bite?"
eyes, guess SO. Why don't yer pull
up an see?'
'Pull up an see? Oh, certainly, must
pull up"
Again he tackled his line desperately.
Yard after yard he pulled in until he had a
little mountain of string beside him, and
then he paused for rest.
''Say, boy, come an fish for me, will
yer?"
Nav, can't yer see I'm fishing for me
self?"
''Pull in yer line, quick! deres some
ting on yer hook, now" yelled another
urchin, as he rose to his feet and ran over
to the old fisherman.
'Pull up, quick - echoed a dozen eXct-
ed voices; you've got big un this time,
sure"
Under the spur of this excitement the
now bewildered and befuddled angler seiz-
ed his line with do-or-die expression de-
picted upon his wondering features and
staggering to his feet, began to pull in the
line hand over hand in a most rapid and
frantic manner, as if his very life depended
upon the result.
Still the endless yards came on like the
march of the centuries, so to speak, until
finally, in amazement and despair, the
dazed fisherman dropped the line as he
hoarsely muttered:
eff Davy Jones has started a Irvine fac.
tory he amt goin' to rope me in for an
agent. Some O. you other felIers can have
the job
The yell that greeted his ears from all
sides as he staggered down the wharf may
have forced little light into his darkened
understanding. Even the very waves, as
they laved the Shiny piles, seemed to heave
and swell with glee at the joke on the hon
est ffsherman.-BoStOn Journal