The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-05-11
FISH OR PIXIE?

1t was hidden away in the chalice
of the hills like a, dewdrop in the
folds Of a burdock leaf-one of those
mountain tarns Of Western Ross
which are reused by sunshine into
distinctive beauty of their own, dead
ened by mist III of all individuality
SO that the wandering fisherman has
some excuse for being careless of
names,of everything save the trout ly-
ing between the shallow and the deep.
The time was June, and l had slipped
freedom ere the gathering of the gill
lies and the general raid of the popu-
lace on the Sassenach make the West
Highlands a purgatory instead OF a
paradise to those who have not the
purse Of Fortunatus.
Day after day rose cloudless, Sc
rene, in true June fashion. There
was no one to hurry me, no one to
hint at a light basket. AS for sport,
fish must feed, even in the driest
weather and sometimes, if the heat
haze dimmed the water and a cause
less breeze set the cotton tassels
swinging a brief half hour would
come, sufficient for most men. Then
the charm of the long evenings, when,
though the light left the world, it lin
gered in the sky till dawn brought re-
newal, kept me in the thrall and
drove my cook to distraction.
I had a blank day on the bigger
lochs. Even the time between Z and
half-past, when the glitter goes from
the water, brought me no luck. On
my way home, partly for the sake Of
lingering longer in the surprising
beauty of the moors, 1 bethought ME
of a blue dot, which, according to the
map, should half a mile to the west
ward.
I shall never forget my first sight
Of Loeb Finaich or Loeb Of the Heath
err, rs it was called. Held In the hol-
low Of the hills, it had two arms,
one stretching west to where the moor
land sloped swiftly to the sea. Thus
at it's farthest end the shining level
Of water looked about as if to plunge
into space, intent on quenching the
fires of sunset in the sky. The other
arm wound dark and deep like a shad-
owed mirror, into a precipitous correi,
where the snowdrifts still lay, des-
pite the heat. There was an unearth-
ly stiffness and silence in it's beauty
which thrilled me through and
through. A distinct desire to take
refuge in the commonplace made me
hurry to n strip Of single and throw
nv fly where a faint shadow told of
weeds below the water. The next in
slant 1 forgot everything in the know
ledge that a big fish had risen short.
The brown body and turkey wing lit
like a thistle down again without re-
spouse, and I was about to turn
away when a circle of widening rip
pies told me that the brute was at
me once more. Mortal angler could
not resist the challenge. I threw
over it, around it, to windward, to lee
ward of it, without success. The
glare had left even the eastern shore.
The sunset had faded to pearly grays
and colds. 1t was growing late. But
one more cast-by all that is tantaliz-
ing-at me again!
every annoying" said a voice be-
hind me as my fly fell on the water,
light, but determined.
I turned in surprise. Some ten yards
off ON the bank behind me a man of
about 80 was leaning on a landing net,
from his dress a fisher like myself,
though he carried no rod.
every annoying" I echoed, "but
I'll get the brute yet"
II doubt it. I thought SO, too, but I
was mistaken"
To q fisherman the confession of fail
ure in a rival is never disheartening.
I put a little more skill into my cast,
that was all.
ut has been a beautiful day hasn't
It ?" went on the voice behind, just as
the fish stirred again. "As fine a mid
summer eve as I remember. BY the
way, do the folk about here tell tales
of the dangers Of st. Johns eve, as
they used to do"
"No," l replied shortly, for I was
rapidly losing my temper over that
devil of a fish. "but l can imagine 1t,
Pixies, fairies and all that bosh."
".Just so. All that bosh."
Something in his tone made me
pause.
"Well, it is hosl !sn't it?" 1 echoed.
"Doubtless, and yet''-he paused in
his turn-"how are you to know that
the big fish yonder which is tempting
COu. TO llDECE ucIc-OAA NJ. OOAA 0NSS
mark you-is not a pixie?"
The conceit amused me. Besides
the brute might think better of it's
WAYS after a rest. 1 laid aside my
rod, took out my pipe and leaned
against the bank on which my new
acquaintance had seated himself.
"Recause it isn't" 1 said stoi'dly.
Nevertheless it is a thing tina, is
absolutely incapable of proof save by
experience, and If the experience
means death end silence
sit is not much 8 to the world,
naturally" laughed I.
"None. Unless you admit the possi-
bility of ghosts"
"No 20 either. Ghosts never are use
full. The bad ones don't scare, I sup
pose, and the good ones are too
happy
1 heard a faint sigh behind me, and
looked up. Then he smiled. 1t was a
charming face, refined with a touch Of
humor in it.
"Let us imagine a Laodician ghost,
then. Say, a fellow like you or mo
harm perhaps, not much good, either
O bit Of drone, eh? Can't you imagine
such a one pursued when the game is
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