Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-18

lighters and canal boats that make up the
rivers liveliness. The chances are enor-
nous against seeing any fishes caught,
Parisians say. These folks a refined
and luxurious tribe of loafers.
Once year, however in the last days of
August. the fishes of the Seine prove to
the soothing Parisians that their rastime is
in reality serious business. Rain or
shine, all the year around, they sit along
the bank push out few feet from shore
in their little boats. motionless for hours
together, watching the floats that show
how their line is prospecting. The impress
sion of one who stands TO look is invaria-
bly, / have said
At your boarding house you may be given
to eat the fixture de Seine''-small, sweet
gudgeons. with little meat and many bones;
small, sweeter dace- with less meat and
less bones, and what seem second cousins
to the "minnieS'' of ones childhood al
most as transparent as crasshopper
cooked and altogether lost in batter when
the chef has charitably covered UP their
little weakened nakedness. But crane YOUR
neck over the bridges ratings you will,
ii will MT often be your luck to see the
fishers take fish from the historic waters
flowing past the tower of Saint Louis. The
tourist who. like David. speaks in haste.
declares that the city pays the fishers to
sham fishing for the sake OF picturesque
ness Boats pillow the Seine by night and
day in all directions; horses are led down
to water. to wade and cool their fevered
hooks; dogs are here brought for washing,
scrubbing clipping The stone-paveu
lodges at the waters edge are the favorite
resort Of mattress and carpet cleaners.
And the small boys and the large boys, and
the girls. both large and mall,partitioned
of-in the so numerous swimming
schools contribute TO the screecheS of the
little steamers. the Wheeling of the sta
tionary engines and the CHATTER of the wo-
men at the washing places. where, beating,
soaping wringing cleansed and dirty linen
all the day. they add their note to the gay
chorus for the amusement of the little
fishes of the Seine
Different Kinds of Fishing.
To any one acquainted with the import
ance of the river means of suicide and
accidental drowning. together with the city
ordinances thereto appertaining, the bust
ness of rescuing dead and living bodies
must seem more remunerative than this
gudgeon and dace fishing. The project of
police with a view to humanity. encour-
ages the zeal of fishermen and river
loafers by giving medals and fixed money
prizes for all bodies rescued. quick or dead.
There is an ancient prejudice in Paris
which pretenGs that the reward is more
for fishing out corpse than rescuing a
life. Whence, people, as they walk and
talk along the river, by a grewsome pleas
antry, conclude the good folk of the water
side prefer to Finish or the struggling
suicides and then to tow them in This is
only s. for corpses.
A month or mere ago the oldest of these
"rescuers" gave up the ghost at Bi.lan-
court. During twenty years .Pere Joseph
had built up fine reputation as a fisher of
men between the times when he was hook
ing FIXTURES for the restaurants. His
lest year was 1895. when he found forty
two dead bodies (so:ne go francs), besides
half a dozen rescues for which he got re-
wards in private, as well the official
sums. Another family by the waterside. a
mother and four brothers, have each re-
ceiyed medals and rewards. The mother is
one of these waSherwomen working all day
long within the curious washing shed be-
low the Pont Neuf in the very heart of old
Paris. Her speciality Is to jump up from
her work and dive for children who have
tumbled in. Nevertheless, in 1885, she
rescued thirteen alleged fishermen. some
boys, some men. II do not waste my
time" she says. land when they look as II
they were acquainted with the art of swim
ming let them paddle out themselves"
The fishers of the Seine feel naturally the
sting Of all this public doubt of their utili.
~: and their means of proving their right
to existence In the holding Of public fish