Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-11-26
THE MASTER ANGLER
HE COULD DEFEAT OLD IzAAK WAL
TON At LONG ODDS.


TON At LONG ODDS.
Emmett Tuttle Was His Name, and His
Home Was In Bennington County, W.
Some Long Bow Stories Of His Wonder
full Exploits with the Rod.
In every art there has been one great
master, Painting had it, Raphael, sculp-
ture had its Michael Angelo, poetry its
Homer and trout fishing has had its En-
met Tuttle Since the days of Andrew
and Peter there have been many fisher
men, but there has been only one Emmett.
He was the angler sans pareil, the king OF
all fishermen. He 90 far exoelled all 9th
ers that comparison belittles him. He
could have flshed the stream after old
Ixaak Walton himself and filled his basket
first.
It 10 . truism that fishermen arc born,
not made. The whole futile line was
fishing line, and Emmett himself was born
under the sign of Pisces 1t Is related OF
him that when baby, just able to walk,
he toddled down the road to a small brook,
few rods from the house, and there, with
q safety pin for hook and house files for
bait, caught seven largo trout That night
when bis mother undressed him for bed,
90 tho story runs, she found four finger
lings, crumpled and crisp, hidden away
under bis little blouse So soon did the
anglers nature show itself.
Some men fsh for pleasure, others nsh
for profit. Emmett futile flshed for profit
He divided his time about equally between
his garden and the stream. On bright,
still days he hood his potatoes and corn,
but when the sun hid behind the clouds
or the wind would ruffle the surfaces Of the
water Emmett laid aside his hoe for his rod.
Like all good "brothers of the anglo, this
worthy knight Of the rod rested on the
Sabbath day, for he was God fearing
man. No oath ever burst from his lips to
mar the symphony Of q summer day, no
empty bottles fecked his trails He was
as tireless &s dog, as patient as trained
nurse
In one Of the streams Emmett used to
frequent there was deep pool, around
which tho alders had formed an almost
impenetrable rampant and the other Ash
ermen passed It by One day Emmett out
hole through tho bushes with his pocket
knife, and peering through counted II
trout, the smallest OF which would have
weighed two pounda A few days later he
returned to this spot, and batting bis hook
with huge bumblabee carefully poked
bis rod through the opening be had made.
Skillfully swapping tho bee across the pool,
ho let 1t dangle for moment from the tall
swale grass that grew on that side. Sew
eral times ha did this, always nearer and
nearer the smooth surface Of tho water,
until OF last one great fellow who had
been Watching the struggling insect with
eager eyes, seized 1t, only to be dragged
from his retreat through the bushes. At
regular intervals through the summer
Emmett visited the pool, and at each visit
be took out ! OF the II, and when the
summer was ended the last OF the II had
been carried away in Emmet's basket.
Unlike the other fishermen l have
known, Emmett Dever exaggerated the
number or size Of his fish. He was moro
inclined 70 underestimate them. He was
no boaster: No one ever heard him tell how
he lured bis prey or where tho best holes
vera He preferred to ash alone, and
whom he did allow some curious body to
60 with him, as I did once, he rarely
vouchsafed a word of advice. l remember
he even seemed unwilling to have me
watch him. observed him as we'll 40
could that day. but did not learn his So
cret We used the same sort Of bait and
tackle. His method OF hooking bis grass
hoppers was not unlike mine l noted this
particularly. had been told THAT be a.
ways made a algn With his hands when
ever he approached the brook at new
place. II he did, could not detect bun.
We fshed through the same rifles and In
the same holes, but when the frightening
shadows beckoned ~ homo his basket
was full to OVERLOOKING. whi)o the bottom
OF mine WAS scarcely covered
Tho simple people Of the village believed
that Emmett exercised some mysterious In
Huenoe over the trout in the neighboriDg
streams, and II a wandering country an
gler saw old Emmot's hat over the tops OF
the bushes his heart sank, and unjointing
bis rod be would start across the fields
for home His days sport was spoiled.
AS we'll might flsh for trout In washtub
as fish behind Tuttle Indeed one veteran
angler has told the story that he was nsh-
Ing down the xiii" one afternoon, when
large trout rose to his hopper" but In
stead OF taking it tho old man stously
AYERS that II turned with the remark,
Excuse me, l thought you were Tuttle,"
and strxightway dared up the stream.
Be this as 1t may, 1t was we'll known that
Ennet carried little red leather book In
which no had the name, size and address
Of every trout In Bennington county.
After the old mans death an exhaustive
search was made for this book, but 1t
could not be found Tuttle doubtless do
stroyed 1t before he died.
Emmett futile seldom used fly, al-
though he could cast longer line than
any other man ever knew. He was
bait fisherman from choice, and such one
as the world will not soon see again. Mems
deeds live after them, and 30 long a. there
are those "who are lovers of virtue and
dare trust in his providence and be quiet
and 90 dangling" so long will there DO
those who will cherish the memory Of old
Tuttle. The streams that he knew 80 we'll
still tumble over the rocks and linger IN
the sweet meadowa The summers come and
20, but Emmet's rod has cast its last
shadow-it lies In dusty attic, unhonor-
I'd and unused.-A. v. Petttbone In st.
Louis Globe Democrat.
Irrepsrsblc.
"You don't eat cheese, Miss BenderbyY"
said the hostess.
Unh M ~ reDiied tia anilin0 vounO