Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-09-05
THE FISH WAS AclN HIM.
It Played a Mean Trick ON the Man From
Buffalo.

IL Played q Mean Trick on the Man From
Buffalo.
1t was group in the reading-room
OF Detroit hosel, and they had been
discussing the query. do fish sleep
at night?" when the Buffalo man
launched out with:
"As to whether fish sleep at night or
at all, don't know, and don't care,
but do know that fish converse with
one another. Yes, sir, l have plain,
straight evid ence to that effect"
Would you mind giving us the par
ticulars@ asked the man who had
loudly contended that fish always
turned on their backs to sleep
II will tell you with pleasure, sir,
because it will add to your store of
useful information. Two years ago
made a trip to Lake Superior. One
day l was out in a skiff fishing for
bass. 1t was in water about fifteen
feet deep, and l could see clear to the
bottom. l was watching my baited
hook and smoking a cigar when saw
five-pound bass swim up and smell
OF the bait. He had opened his mouth
TO take 1T when bass weighing about
zen I)OuHuS came along" VI
And told him not to bite!" exclaimed
the tourist from Kentucky, who had
stopped off couple of days to look
around Detroit.
YES, sir, he did," replied the Buff
faloian. Not only that, but when the
five-pounder seemed inclined to have
his own way, the big fellow actually
drove him off. The same thing hap
pened again and again in the course of
an hour A bass would come up to
take the hook and the sentinel would
swim up and touch noses and tell him
not to do it. 1t was as plain as day
light to me-"
''You think the big fellow knew the
danger?" ---....-----...
81 do. Yes, sir. I think he knew
all about fish-hooks. Every action of
his proved that he did. On one occa-
sion, when a fish which must have
weighed fifteen pounds, came for my
bait, the sentinel seized my line above
the hook and ran around in a circle
with it and thus prevented him from
hooking on. He beat me out of at
least ten good hauls."
HE must have been fish who had
been hooked some time and knew all
about it." ventured the star actor on
his vacation.
That's exactly what had happened
him, SIR" replied the Buffalonian.
Eyes, sir, after an hour or so the sun
shone down on him in such a way that
/ recognized him. Gentlemen, hope
there is no one in this crowd who will
sheer when / say that 1 recognized
that fish as one that l hooked in the
harbor of Buffalo two years before,
and which Topped himself out of the
boat after being caught. He had the
same head-same tail-same wicked
expression of mouth. There could be
no doubt about it,"
"And do you think he recognized
you?" asked every body in chorus.
"He surely did. Yes, sir, from the
way he looked up at me and his gen.
era1 actions l could not doubt it. The
recognition was mutual and the
revenge was his. AS l told you in the
beginning, l don't care whether fish
sleep or not, and l don't care whether
they hear or not, but when it comes
down to talking, I'm satisfied that they
do it. Not only that, but think it an
Internal shame that fish is allowed
to play a man low-down as that one
did mer'
The Kentuckian was the first to rise
up and tip-toe out. He was followed
by the star actor, and the star actor by
the other four, and when he had been
left alone the Buffalo man settled back
in his chair and nodded and slept, and
as he slept smile rested on his face,
and the recording angel put down her
pen and refused to tab it up against
hlm.-Detroit Free Press.