The Press., 1898-03-03
ATRUE SHARK STORY
PATHETIC ACCOUNT OF AN OCEAN
 MONSTERS DESTRUCTION.

MONSTERS DESTRUCTION.
 The Fatal Feud of the Little Blue and
 Gold Pnot-The Lump of Fat Pork
 With the Concealed Hook-Death by
 Torture With the Inevitable Finale.
 "How very hard it is to provide for Q young, fast growing family nova days!'' said the mother shark, turning, for the hundredth time that morning, upon her broad side in order to get better view of what might be stirring above. For nearly week she had been fasting-in fact, ever since she came in hurriedly at the close of 8 great feast upon the stripped carcass of recent whale. There, by dint of the energy of her massive shoulders her IA feet of length and fivefold rows of triangular teeth, she had managed to secure re- spectab1e proportion of the spoil for the replenishing of her own huge maw as we'll as for the up keep of the IA shark lings that were now restlessly darting in and out of their cozy cave at the far end of her capacious throat.
 Within the immediate range of her glance vast black shadow obscured a wide, irregularly shaped area of the blazing sunshine. It was so calm that the shadow seemed stationary. In the direction of this cool penumbra her gaze fingered earnestly, for hereditary in- stinct as we'll as long experience gave her the knowledge that from the sub- stance of such shadows came food drop ping down, varied and toothsome, &C., tually alive on rare occasions. Some. what impatiently she wondered at the long time that her little blue and gold attendant had been gone.
 He was so seldom absent from his place between her eyes for whole min- ute that she got quite uneasy, but while she fidgeted fretfully, with many twitch- ings of her flexible ''gaf topsail, back came the pilot fish in tearing hurry. "Now, then, partner, move along, do. There's lump of fat pork almost as big as your head hanging over that ships g stern. don't quite understand why it doesn't sink, but it is good nibbled just crumb, and you can be sure this time that it is no bagful of cinders like that nasty mouthful that gave you the chestache so bad this morning." The latter part of this energetic exordium was lost upon mother shark, being drowned in the wash set up by her great tail fin, which was going in grand style, starting her off at such a rate that two or three stragglers of the fam lily had to skip like shrimps to get in- doors before they were left behind and lost.
 Straight as an arrow to the mark went the tiny guide, keeping just in front o1 his huge friends snout. Together they swept into the shadow, where, sure enough, mass of meat hung just below the sea surface, though gently lifted al most out of water every now and then. "Oh, do look, mammal There's big fish. Is he going to eat up that pretty little one, do you think?'' "Oh, no, my little man," struck in the mate, "bu, you watch him now!'' As he spoke tho great gray body took curve latterly, { dazzling glare of white appeared, ana there beneath the speaker was a cres centio gap in the smooth, Hvid under side fringed with innunerable points like chevaux de frise and as big as the gap of a coal sack. Around it the small pilot circled excitedly at top speed. Slowly the mate as gently slacked away, there was gulp, and the big joint dis appeared. There was a flash, a splash and an eddy. Then the rope attached te the shark hook concealed in the porl groaned over the rail as it felt the strain. 'Lay aft the watch,'' roared ths mate, and amid the trampling of many , feet, 8 babel of directions and tremen dous tumult alongside, through the : writhings of the captive monster, shs was transferred forward to the lee gang way, where, by the aid of stout watct tackle, she was hoisted out of water.
 Don't take him aboard" cried the captain. "Make such an internal mesl if you do. Just spritsail yard him and lei him go agen" So piece of scantlins was got from the carpenter, pointed al both ends, about four feet long. Thil they drove between her jaws from side to side. Another wedge shaped piece was planted diagonaIly down through her broad snout, the upper end pointing forward. Then they cut off the wide pectoral fins, letting the quivering car cass fall into the sea again by the sim . pie expedient of chopping the hook out l "What abominable cruelty" mutteret } a gentle faced man among the crowdins passengers, as he turned away sick al ] heart. But the bustling seaman looked pityingly at him, wondering doubtless at his lack of sporting instincts. Thu disabled, the misera ble monster plunged l blindly in uncertain directions, unabl, to steer herself, unheeding the frantic caresses of her faithful little satellite who had almost exhausted himself by leaping up at her as she hung strug gling against the vessels side. Neither did she notice the puzzled, waverins movements of her wondering brood. St she disappeared from the view of thu laughing, happy crowd on deck. Blu whichever way she rushed she alway fetched up to the surface promptly. be cause of the vane in her head, Thus fo day and night she fought aimlessl, with all the forces of amazing vitalit, pent up in her huge body against thes' torturing disablements, until merciful ly she fell in with a couple of ravenou congeners- Scenting fresh blood, the, made for her straightway. Like mat things, they fell upon her. Long ant : hard they strove, tearing their wa. through the tough framework until as sistance came from all quarters, and , motley multitude of various hungr, ones cleaned up every shred of the vel come banquet, leaving only the deserted pilot to seek another partner.-Londol