The Republican journal., 1900-04-05
The Old Clergy mans Last Trout.

river TeCeiNtu inc W HlIlluR waters anu
joined them to its own strong current,
which spun mighty eddy from bank to
bank. On the great rock at the edge of
the pool stood the trapper, in one hand
his rod, in the other Lis landing net, while
a large trout patched the gray rocks with
its glorious color at his feet.
Hell weigh three pounds eff he'll
weigh an ounce" said the trapper, as his
eyes rested admiringly on the catch, land
the thickness of him shows he's had good
feedin. The Lord puts the same colors
into rainbows and stormy sunrises, but
nowhere else, as conceit. But how he can
put SO much of the glory of the upper
world into the cold depths of the lower
and keep it all aglow there is more than |
can understand. Yis, one fish be enough"
continued the old man, retlectvely, as he
scanned the whriug water as if longing
to make one more cast. 81 sarlinly believe
that the one that rose fust was a pound
heavier than tins one. but one fish be
enough for Christian man, especially eff
he be shaped and c0loTed as This one s'
and the old trapper proceeded To gather
his flies to his reel
1t was then that his ear caught the
sound of a step coming dom The trail
toward the rock on which lie stood-a
strolls eIandless onward, unEufried by
duty ana wrapped pe1ehance in grave or
pleasant meditation. In a moment man
OF venerable appearance came to the edge
of She river and gazed in placid con-
temptation at the swlrlinz, steam. He vas
tall III stature and spare as to his habit.
HIS ace had tile scholars paieness and
his shoulders the scholar stuop. In one
hand he carried a small volume and in the
other a spray nt cedar he had evidently
plucked flom some over hanging Dough
as be came down the trail. He was dres-
sed in suit of black cloth and his neck
tie was as spotlessy white as his linen. A
close fitting skull cap of velvet rested on
his snowy locks.
he spied the trapper, and approaching
him said in a timely modulated tone: "If
| am not mistaken this is John Norton
the trapper?'
''Yis, l be John Norton,' replied the
old man, land l have trapped a good
deal off and on in the last seventy years
And who be yep
81 am a clergyman said the other
pleasantly land in the city where |
preach they call me the Rev. Dr.. Daven-
port"
He held out his hand in a formal but
courteous manner.
The latter took the pale thin hand in
own strong palm and shook it heartily
saying;
81 am glad to see we face to face and
nigh by, reverend sir, for | remember
hearing We four summers agone up at ST.
Regio, e was preaching from text.
Woe be 10 We Pharisees, and though |
couldn Git into the parors owing to the
crowd Of city folks that filled them, and
Il ri III Il,
yit | managed 10 cit the line of yer talk,
and the way We warmed them Pharisees
made me feel comfortable in my mind.
for the Phalsees OF the Scripture be very
like the thieyin' half breeds and vaga-
bonds that steal an honest trapper' skins
in the woods, and have spent a good
deal Of powder and lead edicaIin' the
knaves toward righteousness, when /
have Retched them pullin' on the line of
my traps.
''Well, wellr' exclaimed the old doc
tor. evidently pleased that his companion
had heard him deliver one of his most
celebrated discourses and SO warmly APP
proved it. well, we'll, I am glad to
meet you and that | may almost call you
one OF my Pensioners, John Norton,''
ana the doctor rubbed his white hands
together and laughed a decorous and
4t' ' -ltlHltI tlltit ldu4D.
~ don know as ketch the full mean
in OF yer words, responded the trapper,
''for | have never been taught in the
churches of the settlements and know
leetle OF their agreements or their differ
ences, but ! sartinlv concet that We had
the right OF it techin them Phalisees:
and that We and | will stand side by side
IN the day OF Jedgment and tell the Lord
what We know of their divilments,
whether they lived a thousand years
agone IN JUDGE or was sneakin' round the
woods here when | was on the arlh.''
Good gracious screamed the doctor.
''where did that monstrous trout come
from?
From the Lord, parson; yis, straight
from the Lord, answered the trapper
promptly. LAS straight as brown hackle
a uinefo foot leader, an old bamboo rod and
good grip at the butt of the rod could
bring him. Do you know how to make a
cast for four FOUNDER yerself, parson?H
''No, mop exclaimed the Old doctor of
divinity, THAT is, > he continued, sit is
long years since have allowed myself to
touch a rod CT a gum for fear of the CON
sequences -
Consequences? returned the trapper
81 don't understand ye.'
mo, l know you cannot" replied the
other. ''HOw can a man Of your manner
of life understand it? But man of nv
calling, Trapper, should not even have
the appearance of evil or allow himself to
fall into the least semblance of worldli-
ness, much less to allow the pleasures of
this world to fasten their grip upon him,
and as young man l was excitable-very
excitaole-and | loved to shoot and row
and fish, loved the sports of blood and
field. as they are called. Yea, Trapper,
l loved them like sinner, and so. to
avoi even the appearance of evil and over
come the riotous motions of nature, and
and here the old doctor voice shook
ut is forty years since this hand has grasp |
ed rod OF this finger put its pressure on
a trigger
''Heavens and arthr' exclaimed the |
trapper. what useless life We must |
have !ived''
ut seems SO to you, dare say" cried |
the doctor. ''But placed as | was-Why |
John Norton, when l had been twenty
one years in the ministry it was regarded !
as deadly sin for a clergyman to skate
or slide down hill, or shoot a rifle, aud in
the winter months when the snow Law
soft on the hills and the clouds were as
lead and the al: hollow, / have locked
myself in my chamber and buried nv