The San Francisco call., 1898-12-16
TROUT THAT CAUSED
 ENDLESS ANNOYANCE
CAUGHT OUT OF SEA
 SON, IT TASTED WELL
A Deputy Fish Commissioner and a Liuuor Merchant Who Got the Wrong Tip and Went
 Astray.

Dispenser Tom Ferguson had a visit from a deputy fish commissioner recently and now he knows something about hsh laws and game fishes.
 Ferguson. it appears, has been a target for his sportively inclined patrons TOT some weeks past simply because ne VIII insist that he understands how to shoot and fish, notwithstanding that Commo- dore John Conway has exhausted all of his latent knowledge of pisciculture on Ferguson in the endeavor to convince the man that he knows not the nrst tnlnS about a gun or fishing rod.
 Conway takes much pleasure In teasing the honorable liquor merchant, and as a matter of fact Ferguson looks suspicious ly on every movement the commodore makes when he Is wit within s o1g ege fread range tG the most approved style last Monday, and the story as told by Contractor Chris Morehouse goes thusly:
 Ferguson although he knows not the first thing about fishing Is a fond lover of mountain trout By that 1 mean, Of course that every trout looks the same to Tom, and doubtless they taste alike also. However. last Monday morning Billy Faber, the director general of beverages and hot bean stew, received from some of his country cousins a nice fat two pound rainbow trout. which. although caught out of season presumably In tide water). made delicious eating.
 Bill. after feasting his bright. sparkling eyes on the so-called speckieo beauty. con signed 1t to the ice chest until such time as he was ready to cast 1t to his palace on the hill.
 When Ferguson put In an appearance at head quarters Monday afternoon Conway and his barytone laugh greeted him ., just wish that some of my country friends would remember me as well as they do you occasionally ~
 ''Ferg' suspiciously.
 ''Oh. that beautiful trout in the ice chest that was sent to you. I'd just like to have it; guess you are not much of lover of fish, anyhow. are you. Tom?" asked Conway. with face that was as cold and straight as the bar rels of a shotgun.
 piled Ferguson. Lets have look at it..
 We'll to make long story short. Ferguson was delighted when he saw the fish and inn medatey dispatched a messenger to his house to inform his good wife of the beautiful trout he would present her with on his return home.
 The rightful owner of the trout. Billy Fa- after he had concluded his days labor and was enjoying happy moments over the pan when Ferguson again visited the Ice chest ir quest of his royal prize.
 We'll say, you should have been around when Tom discovered his loss: talk of blue! smoky atmosphere and the Greek language; never heard such pow-wow. Some fellow told Tom that his man Billy walked home with the fish and without moments hesitation to him by Jack, the champion wheelman oi the smokehouse.
 patched a messenger to the Fish Commission. 1 CTS office with a note which stated that
 rainbow trout out of season. were in pos session of Tom Ferguson. The deputy who visited "the man of barrels heard Ferguson story but it was fortunate for Tom that Billy Faber had already killed the evidence by hay ing turned 1t over to the inner man and there by saved Ferguson from arrest and a possible heavy fine.
 | Billy Faber put In an appearance, but as fol Commodore Conway, he is on the black book: and there he is wifi n9 teng 9 5ne Wbs he Of l poor old 'Ferg'' among the barrels.