The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1898-03-10

sporting Instincts
How very hard II Is 10 provide for
a young fast-growlng family nova
days" said the mother shark. turning
Tor the hundredth time that morning
upon her broad side in order to get
better view Of what might be stirring
above. For nearly a week she had
been fostlng In fact. ever since she
came In hurrledly al the close Of
great feast upon the stripped carcass
OF a recent whale. says the London
Spectator There. by dint Of the en-
ergy Of her massive shoulders. her
fourteen feet Of length. and hyefold
rows Of triangular teeth. she had man
aged 10 secure a respectable proper
ton OF the spoil for the replenishing
OF her own huge nav as well as for
the upkeep OF the fourteen sharklings
that were now restlessly darting In
and out Of their coy cave at the far
end OF her capaclous throat. Within
the Immediate range Of her glance a
vast black shadow obscured wide.
irregularly shaped area Of the blazing
sunshine. II was 30 calm that the
shadow seemed stationary. In the d.
rectlon Of this cool penumbra hes SAGE
fingered earnestly. For hereditary in
stinct as well as long experience gave
her the knowledge that from the sub
stance Of such shadows came food
dropping down. varied and toothsome.
actually alive on rare occasions. Some
what impaiIontly she wondered at the
long time that her little blue-and-gOld
attendant had been gone. lie was 80
seldom absent from his place between
her eyes FOR a whole minute that she
got quite uneasy But while she iidget-
ed fretfully with many twitchngs OF
her flexible "gaff-topsail." back came
the pilot-hsh In a tearing hurry Now.
then. partner. move along. DO There's
a lump Of Eat pork almost as big AZ
your head hanging over that ships
stern. don't quite understand why
Il doesn't sink. but % il good ! nib
blcd just crumb. and you can be
sure that this time 70 rs no bagful Of
clnders like that nasty mouthful that
gave you the chesiache 10 bad this
morning The latter part Of this en-
ergetIc eTodium was lost upon the
mother shark. being drowned In the
wash set up by her great tall-hn. which
was going In grand style. starting her
on az such a rate that two or three
stragglers OF the family had TO skip
Ike shrimps to get indoors before
they were left behind and lost. Straight
as an arrow to the mark went the tiny
guide. keeping just In front Of his huge
friends snout Together they swept
into the shadow. where. sure enough.
a mass Of meat hung Just below the
sea surface. though gently lifted al
most out Of the water every now and
then. "Oh. DO look. mamma. there's
a biz FISH. l. he going 20 eat mp that
pretty little one. do you Think" "Oh.
no. my little man" struck 10 the mate.
but you watch him now As he
spoke the great gray body took a curve
literally, a dazzling glare Of white APP
peared. and there beneath the speaker
was a crescentic gap In the smooth.
liyid white under side. frlnged with
innumerable points like cheyaux-de-
frise. and rs big as the gap Of coal
sack. Around u the small pilot clrcled
oxcltedly at top speed Slowly IL rose
beneath the bait. which the mate AZ
gently Stacked away. there was a gulp.
and the big Joint disappeared There
was a fash, a splash. and an eddy.
Then the rope attached 10 the shark
hook concealed In that pork groaned
over the rail as Il felt the strain. Lay
aft the watch roared the mate. and
amid the tramping Of many feet
babel Of directions aud a tremendous
tumult alongside. through the with
Ing OF the captive monster. she was
transferred forward TO the lee gang
way. where. by the aid Of stout
watch-tackle. she was holstcd out Of
water.
Don't take him aboard" cried m.
captain: make such an Internal mess
n you do. Just sprltslc yard him n
let him go agen." So a piece Of scan,-
ling was got from the carpenter
pointed at both ends. about four feet
long This they drove between her
Jaws from side to side. Another wedge.
shaped piece was planted dlagonany
down through her broad snout. tho
upper end pointing forward. Then
they cut on the Wide pectoral nns. let.
ting the qulyering carcass fan into
the sea again by the simple erpedlent
N chopplng the hook out. What
lbonlmable cruelty" muttered gen.
ile-faced man among the crowded pas.
sengers. as he turned away sick nj
heart but the bustllng seamen looked
pltylngly at him. wondering doubtless
At his lack Of sporting instincts.
Thus disabled. the miserable mon
ster plunged blndly In uncertain Al. /
''Ni'fA"f NNhHN' w NNffN WfFNflI. uUa D
needing the frantic caresses OF her
faithful little satellite. who had nj. /
most exhauted himself by leaplng nm
at her side as she hung struggling
'gainst the vessels side. Neither All .
she notice the puzzled. waverlng move.
ments of her wondering brood. So she
disappeared from the view of Tho
laughing happy crowd on deck nm,
whichever way she rushed she alwovs
fetched mp at the surface promptlv |
because Of the vane IN her head Thus
Tor day and night she fought aim. /
le'sly with all the forces Of amazing
vitality pent mp IN her huge body
aaEainst those torturlng dlsablemen,s .
until merclfully she fell In with /
couple Of raycnous congeners. scent. /
Ing fresh blood they made for her
stralRhtWay. Like mad thinps m, /