The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-07-28

lowing fall TWO men came 20 Gallup'S
camp and told story almost identical
with the one that concerned Finnegan's
experience. This set Dan to thinking,
but the band Of gold caused doubt.
Next year the golden bass" as it had
now come to be known, was heard of
five times, always in the southern bay
of Clear lake. BY this time the bass
was declared to weigh at least IL
pounds and to measure three feet. But
Gallup made no move, much to the won
,lerment of his friends.
The autumn tints gave way to winter
and the spring came again ere Gallup
emerged from the logging camp to ac-
cept the position of head guide at OAR
rows, on Kewauquesaga lake. And
here something happened that brought
disaster to the golden bass and wrought
a great change in the life of the famous
guide. With the opening of the resort
came on the last day of May a quar-
tette of Chicago men anxious to take
advantage of the first days legal fish
ing. Gallup was busily engaged in
looking over the tackle to be used on
north rolled up to little station and
paused long enough to permit one pas
senger to alight.
1t was woman-more, it was cook.
And anybody who knows about these
things knows that cook in the Wis
consin woods is mighty important
parsonage. The entire population of
Darrows turned out to welcome her,
Gallup with the rest. The lady looked
over the group and then, raising her
hand as if to request-or command
silence, gave speech in these words:
my name is Matilda Jones. can
cook anything and cook it well. can
catch fish with any man that lives, can
lick my weight in panthers and conse-
quently am not to be trif1ed with.
There is no chip on my shoulder. nor
anything like that. III tend to my
business, treat erybody right, and ex-
pect the same from everybody. Now
let's all be good fellows and let it go at
that"
This little speech, delivered with the
utmost good nature, as well as unem-
barrassed emphasis, created profound
sensation with everybody in general
and Dave Gallup in particular. He
gazed upon her with species of ave.
In detailing to himself, later in the
evening, her points" he declared her
to be probably 25 years old, features
regular, body supple and indicative of
great strength, lips thin and nose aqui-
line. On the whole, not bad looking
On the whole, well put up" On the
whole, "the right sort" Just one pos
sible objection, Miss Jones had fiery red
hair, and she twisted it in vicious knot
on the extreme top of her head.
And that night Dave Gallup dreamed
of red-headed woman. Yes, gentle
reader, Cupid had taken to the woods.
The courtship was unique, although
characteristic. Dave cut the dryest
cedar for kindling the kitchen fire and
Miss Jones was pleased to acknowledge
the courtesy. The finest fish that Dave
caught in early morning hours was "es-
pecially for you, Miss Tilly'-for Dan
progressed rapidly in the matter of adj
dressing his lady love. At night they
would sit out on the porch and, be-
tween killing mosquitoes and telling
fishy yarns, got along very comforta-
bly,. Several times Dave and Miss
Jones went out for bass or "muskies'
together. Dawes love grew to adora-
ton when he found Miss Jones handled
rod as well as any man he knew.
All this spring the stories of the
golden bass" kept coming to Dave and
Miss Jones became deeply interested in
the mighty inhabitant of Clear lake.
She urged Dave to go, but he iealously
regarded her requests. Miss Jones was
not without admirers other than Dave.
The green-eyed demon whispered that
were he to pack off to Clear lake an
other might capture the prize at home.
Red hair was more potent than the
gold band about the body of 14-pound
bass. The fish had grown.
One day Miss Jones landed 3O-pound
"muskie." She did it in most approved
style. Dawes heart seemed to beat
within him. He threw himself on his
knees in the wet bottom of the boat
and, disregarding the struggles of Miss
Jones' catch-he being in great dan
ger from the monsters fins-announced
his passion.
Miss Jones heard him calmly. Dave
demanded that she ask him to prove his
love. And Matilda took him up" with
a promptness that made his head swim.
Go bring me the golden bass and
I'm your'n,' is what she said
"Darn'd if don't" replied Dave.
And this was the betrothal
A blood red sun rose majestically
from dense mass of green. 1t forced
through the gently waving pinetops,
bars of carmine light and glinted the
indigo ripples of Clear lake. On the
rare morning air arose the song of the
marten and the hum of millions of in
sects. Partridge, kissed by the morn
ing light, drummed in the swamp or
with whirr swept along the bank