Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-05-10
SOME sEAsoNAeLE STORIES.
Mr.. BowIy's Remarkable Catch of Carp-A Cat
Adopts a 0osIlng.

hoOpts q 6oshHe'
The most remarkable catch of fish
that has ever been known in this
neighborhood is that which we now
propose to chronicle. Although it Is
a big fish story, we assure our readers
that every word is strictly true. Some
eight or ten years ago, it will be re-
membered, the carp craze existed IN
this section. Farmers stocked many
ponds with them, and every now and
then heavy rains would burst the banks
of the ponds AMI the fish would escape
into the small streams and eventually
find their way to the river. The Po-
tomac has thus become pretty well
stocked with them. 1t has been
known for some time that there has been
plenty of them-and some whoppers-
in this river, for in clear water they
could be seen and occasionally big
one would be caught in net. None
were ever caught, however, except by
a sort Of accident. They could not be
taken with hook and line, for no bait
could be devised to suit their peculiar
taste. But Mr.. E. D. Bowly, an In
ventive and ingenious gentleman OF
this place, has gotten the best of the
carp at last. He has been studying
them for a couple Of years, and the
results attained, as shown by below,
prove the success of his ideas.
After many experiments Mr.. Bow
ly arranged a bait that gets carp
every time. He takes equal parts OF
-four and corn meal in which he places
another portion Of garlic chopped fine,
He makes ball as big as the end of
your finger, ties it up in a little bag
of mosquito netting and conceals in it
the hook. All you have to do then is
to 90 to the river, select spot where
the carp do congregate and throw in
your line. The FISH will do the rest.
Last Wednesday Mr.. Bowly went a
fishing at Dam No. 4, above Shepherds
town. He fshed four hours, then he
went back home to get wagon IN
which to haul his fish. In that time
he had caught seven enormous carp,
aggregating 1921 pounds. The sizes
and weights were as follows: One fish
SO inches long, weight % pounds !;
one 80 inches long, weight %! pounds;
one 81! inches long, weight pounds;
two of l6 pounds each, one of y
pounds and one Of l0} pounds. Mr..
Bowly also had one that measured 40
inches in length and which would
have weighed about 10 pounds. In
putting this one on the string, however,
a sudden Airt Of the enormous fish
enabled it to escape, as Mr.. Bowly
was exhausted by landing it. One Of
these fish had six pounds Of roe in it.
Saturday Mr.. Bowly, at the same
place, landed still greater catch of
carp. He caught with hook and line,
using his patent bait, eleven more Of
the monsters, weighing l89! pounds.
There were two of 224 pounds each,
two of 2Opounds, three of l6! pounds,
one of 10, one of IA! and one Of 81
pounds.
Nothing like these catches have ever
been seen in this neighborhood Some
persons could scarcely credit such a
fish story, but the fish were seen. and
handled by many persons. Mr.. Bowly
sent the editor of the REGISTER a
twenty-pounder, which we enjoyed on
Monday. Boiled or baked, properly
seasoned and with good sauce, the carp
is a pretty fair sort Of fish, notwith-
standing the prejudice against him.
Mr.. Bowly has opened up a new line
of sport in this vicinity, and carp fish
ing will probably become very popular.
About as queer an incident as we
have heard of for some time was re-
lated in the REGISTER Office few
days ago by Mr.. John T. Watson, who
lives a couple Of miles south Of town,
He has a cat that has adopted a gosling,
and which is now engaged in a deter
mined effort to bring it up in the right
way. Some time ago the cat was a
fond mother of several kittens. Her
offspring were ruthlessly drowned, so
she conferred. her affection upon one of
a flock of goslings of tender age.
When she first tried to carry it away
the old gander with much Kissing pre-
vented her. But she persisted, and
finally got one, which she carried to
a snug nest in an old basket. Here
she keeps it in comfort, curling her
self around it and filling as well as
she can the duties of mother 1t is a
remarkable fact that the gosling has
developed a considerable amount of