The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-29

Take Your Wan 90 = Trout streaua and See new
ESQ Behaves There,

They had eaten each others salt, they had
drunk each others wine. thoy had smoked
each others Christmas cigars. and remained
loyal. Smith always listened with credulity
and patience to Browns trout yarns, and Brown
never questioned q single detail of Smiths
Famous encounter with that grizzly. More
over dnfallible sign OF true and tried friend.
shiph they abused each other manfully. Not.
withstanding all these things they had never
been trouting together.
For years they had planned n trip to a Pix
county stream which Brown had nshed and
Smith knew about. Some fatality seemed to
prevent the excursion, but finally ono evening
found them at n farmhouse in the vicinity OF
the brook. Early the next morning they drove
six miles through the woods and tied their horse
to a tree where the brook crossed the road.
Nov, said Brown. "onc OF us will follow
that old wood rond up stream for about fve
miles and FISH down. The other will havc to
fish down from here. It's better fishing up tho
stream" he went on calmly; but that doesn't
mako any difference TO me-. Where would you
rather go T.
Don't care" returned Smith, doubtfully.
"Wcll. the downstream trip is pretty rotten
work" Brown gently urged again. "and you'd
better walt for me here when you get through
IAN right. Here's luck!'
amy SINFUL u lHt uOWHhlTGuh
route for Brown the magnaniomous and
trudged Off up the wood road. lie had not gone
far when no struck a swamp. A Pike county
swamp is n lake bed filed with mud and mos
quitoes, with a top dressing of briars. Smith
ioundcred about for n time and then took to
the woods. Thereby he lost tho road and waded
to and fro in the muck for hours. Finally no
fell upon. and likewise into. the brook. 1t was
almost a mnn o6ii' ,ha nrd BY br SsI, and Ct but in
For the next hour he succeeded in dragging
10 the, surface enough material to build n barn.
and the trcctops for yards around were deco
rated with the finest brands Of imported flies. He
managed to Ill his %hipboots with water and his
1t was the worst fishing he had ever seen. He
wondered casually how Brown was making out,
Presently a rattiessnake almost scared him into
SWALLOWING his teeth. and he departed. There
Is no DISCUS, like unto that OF the disappointed
fisherman, unless, perchance, IL belongs to a
man who Inns wasted half a day on a runway.
After trials and fluctuations Smith reached
Brown. From the very first 1t struck him that
below the bridge the stream looked as a trout
the more he became convinced Of Brown
periidy. His energies became directed upon
S6irc%mmTentin ns his treaf en- friend, and,
the cnrnging spectacle OF Brown landing a big
one. smith quietly made his way through the
woods and struck In the brook a hundred yards
spiGd Brown ahead Of him again. he once more
took to the woods and at the next turn of tho
brook saw Brown still in tho lead.
1t progressed thus until the fishing excursion
resolved itself into a series of hundred.yard
dashes. Browns fish basket was heavy, but
Smith was weighed down by his wet boots in a
manner that made the whole thing a gigantic
handicap. At last Smith emerged from a
thiCket 70 see Brown about, to cover a likely
pool and he heaved q rock that frightened al
the trout in that part of the State. So the thing
went on until by a kind OF intuition they made
their way back to the buggy. There had been
no glances exchanged nor audible remarks
uttered throughout tho episode. They drove
between them, Brown plainly interested in the
landscape on his own side, and Smith intently
studying his half of the heavens.
The next morning the farmer took Brown to
the railway station In the blackboard. and Smith
followed with the hired man on the hay rigging.
smith was the first TO reach the smoking car,
and Brown had to ride all the way to Jersey
City in the coach.
There is a moral to this tale. to the effect thai
q man is never tested except by means Of a
properly conducted fishing trip. He will either
come forth undone or a proved philosopher.