Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-10-13

sort of steel file.
OF course Mrs Sammis gave scream
when the hook went into her ear and
what with that and the pain in the
back OF his own neck the professor lost
his patience of mind and accidentally
pressed the button of the battery.
This brought another shrek from
Mrs. Sammis, for there are few things
more startling than good, smart elec-
trio shock.
1t was foolish in him to try TO break
the line, knowing as he did that il was
much toe strong to be broken. but for
all that he did try to break it and in
the process pulled ut Mrs. Sammis' ear
till she burst ont crying and begged
him to let her die where she was.
He took up the rod again very care
fully and succeeded in christening tie
line. Then he coiled up the line into Il
tight little ball so that it couldn't trail
on the ground or catch in anything.
Mrs. Sammis cried Il little Longer,
and then she stopped and said that the
sooner they saw the doctor the better.
and she did hope that the deacon
wouldn't get home until she ard the
professor had been cut loose.
You see. the deacon, though lit was
one of the best of men, was little
haSty III his temper. ana TWO or three
times he had shot Il man under circum-
stances tiat really didn'r call for any
such energetic action, at he GftcrWard
admitted himself.
Well. the professor and Mrs. SammiS
set ont for the doctors, which was IL
good mile froia the trout pool. The
line that connected the two unfortunate
people WAS 80 short that nearly every
step they took il would stir up the
hooks To fresh activity and fetch new
shricks from Mrs. SammiS.
Finally the professor told her that
she must allow him to put his arm
around her waist. and that she must
put her head on hi, shoulder. BY this
means they could walk without jerking
the line.
1t must have been rather pretty
sight to see the two walking slowly
across the field in such close proximity
and il ii had been Il younger man
don't know that should have objected
TO take the professors place, fish hooks
and all.
Before they were fairly ont of the
field the deacon'S first wife's mother.
who lived with him. saw them ont of
her window and called the servant girl
to help her pack up and leave the
house where such an abandoned and
shameless female lived.
Mrs, Sammis knew Of Il sort of back
path by which she and the professor
could reach the loctor's office without
taking To the main street. and, OF
course. they took this back path not
expecting TO meet anybody. But you
all know how it is. 1t you happen TO
he in situation where you don't wish
to be seen, all the friends and all the
enemies you ever had will De sure to
show up insid" OF twenty minutes.
1t is my opinion that if the prophet
Jonah had made an appointment TO
meet his best girl in the whales cabin
he would have found about Il dozen
friends leaning up against the ribs and
waiting for him with bullseye lanterns
in their hands.
However. I'm wandering from the
subject. What | intended to say was
that just as soon as the professor and
Mrs. Sammis turned into the path they
began to meet people, especially boys.
The grown folks merely looked at
them sadly and gave them wide
berth SO as not 10 contract any of their
wickedness. but the boys generally
hoOted mt them and called the profess
sor names and said .hey We're going to
tell Deacon SammiS.
The professor wanted to stop and eX-
plain the state of things to everybody
whom they met. but Mrs. Sammis
wouldn't allow him 10 do anything of
the sort. She told him he had better
keep his breath until he should come
to explain things To the deacon. which
she calculated he would find mid
ding tough job.
AS for the professor he was just
scientific enough to wonder why she
made SO much disturbance over so
small matter, and he hadn't the least
idea that the deacon would feel an
nOyed even ii he should happen to
meet them on the way to the doctors.
When they reached the doctors office
the two hooks were eXtricated with
very little difficulty, and the professor
went home and explained to his Wife
why he hadn't caught any trout.
That was the beginning of the great
scandal that divided all New BerlinOp-
olisville into two parties-those who be-
lfeved the professors story and those
who didn't.
l am sorry to say that the latter was
very much the larger party. and that
Mrs. Van Wagner belonged to it.
The professor came over to my house
that evening and said that he rather
thought he had better stay with me for
awhile. which accordingly he did.
At times Mrs. Van Wagener would
come to my door and say that she
wanted to see that miserable man. but
l never let her in. knowing that there
would be trouble ii did.
Similarly Deacon Sammis came one
day with Il big horsewhip and demand
ed to see that scientific hound" but |
explained to him that il he wanted to
interview anybody with horsewhip
/ was ut his service. but no hounds.
scientific or otherwise, were to be
found on my premises.
The deacon's divorce suit was a fail
ure. for the testimony of the doctor
who had cut the tishhooks out satisfied
the jury, and they gave Il verdict which
entirely cX0nerated Mrs SammiS and
the professor. But of course that had
no effect so far as the public was con-
cerned.
1t was SO clear to me that the profess
sOr's usefulness in New Berlinopolis-
Vile was gone that | induced him to
accept professOrship i'm Chicago.
What with Mrs Van WAGNER wait