Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-09-20
AN AFFAIR OF TROUT


start for home Grimsby had said to hi
Office boy. But Worth street dry good
houses do not abound in cool places on mid
summer afternoons, and when at five o'clocl
the Office boy produced tine box OF trou
for the departing Grimsby, he added, witt
q respectful smile: ut wouldn't do NJ
car on your way out
What do you meant" demanded Grims
by.
The Office boy said nothing, but shifted
rather suggestively in the direction OF the
trout.
What NONSENSE" exclaimed Grimsby
angrily. They were caught only yester
day" And he thought what a delightful
surprise they would be for his wife. They
would have some for supper.
Grimsby lives in New Jersey, and is one
Of that sad.looking band of commuters that
press 10 the front of the ferryboat and stand
each night, wan and weary, under the rays
OF the setting sun. But tonight Grimsby no
ticed that the crowd around him was thin
| In fact, it formed a fairly respectable cir.
Gle, and some of the people made ill-natured
| remarks about giving it air" Grimsby was
indignant II was perfectly absurd to sup
pose that trout caught only yesterday could
| begin to spoil SO soon Besides. johnson
had told him that the fish were packed in
grass, as they would carry much better that
way than in ice.
AL the same, ii was an unpleasant coinci-
dence, soon after he had sat down in the
train and placed the box under his seat,
that two or three old men near him should
rise, make tes;y remarks OF "how close il
was," and then throw the ear window up
with a bang. = ~ .
When Grimsby stepped off the train he
made a rush for a carriage Livery stable
hacks CONS high, but he felt like getting
home quickly III ~
Corpelia was a devoted wife, but she
sometimes lacked tact. She started to greet
her husband with more than usual cordi.
atty, when she suddenly stopped and gazed
at the box suspiciously. Grimsby came TO
the rescue at once:
"That contains mess of beautiful brook
trout, fresh caught. johnson was kind
enough to make me a present of them" and
Grimsby set the box down with busting
cheerfulness
But they've gone bad, Fred, she blurted
out; you can smell them mile off Why,
it's simply horrible"
Grimsby flushed angrily. my dear" he
said you may think you know all abou,
Housekeeping, but when it comes to fish and
game you're nothing but a baby" and
Grimsby glared at her Indignantly. BE
sides" be added, those trout were given
to me by one Of my best friends, and we're
going to have them for supper"
very well, mum" said Katie, holding
l. b.e Or, h. aI
gone upstairs, "but I'm thinking that them
poor fish needs an undertaken more than
they do a cook"
1T has occurred to me" said Grimsby
when he came down TO the table, somewhat
Modified by seeing some Of his precious
trout ready for him, that II would be
nice thing to give Robinson and his wife
few Of the trout. They get SO little in
the way Of the seasons delicacies" And
Grimsby sat down bravely before his fish.
They certainly had a curious odor, but then
Grimsby knew that trout were wholly diff
ferent from other fish, and he fell 10 work
MY dear" he said finally to his wife. do
you know these trout are perfectly splendid
out | never cared for the flavor OF brook
trout 1t is taste that everyone says has
to be cultivated Robinson, though, | am
sure, appreciates trout. How would it do
to send him over the whole boxfu? | be
lieve in being neighborly and they would
be a real treat for Robinson and his wife.
Right after supper Mrs. Grimsby sent
Katie over to the Robnsons with the box
Of trout and a cordial message from Mr.
Grimsby to Robinson.
"My gosh" exclaimed Robinson. the mo
ment that the Grimsby cook was beyond
hearing. what trick is Grimsby trying 10
play on me now! When he starts to send me
diseased ANIMALS, | begin to object
Now. Robinson's wife had a great ad
miration for Grmsby. and protested We
hemently that the gift was most generous
and gracious one of course the trout are
fresh and great rarity she declared and
began carefully TO remove the cover Of the
box.
They look lovely" added Mrs Robinson.
when she had fairly got the cover eff, but
neither Of us have ever cared for trout. They
are really cultivated taste, You know"
"Umph" grunted Robinson.
Soon after dusk the Robinsons' maid
might have been seen vending her way
through the back yard with a covered has.
ket in her hands. She was on her way to
the Hills, in the next street, great friends
OF inc hoDlnkonS.
Mrs Robinson sent a sweet little note 10
Mrs. Hill that "a friend has just sent us
some beautiful, fresh-caueht trout. But I'M
fortunately. neither my husband nor ! care
for trout, and we hope that you will accept
them
How sweet Of herl" exclaimed Mrs. Hill,
but her husband eyes the basket askance
Il declare" said his wife, who by this
time had put the basket on the hall table
and had taken off the cover, Il declare.
they dc have curious odor Why. they
are smelling up the whole house We can't
stand this, and she hurried out again with
the precious trout and laid the basket on
the front porch.
do you know, jim" she said. after gaz-
ing for several moments at the odor bearing
basket, Il believe those fish are probably
all right. The fact is, we don't know
thing about trout. We've always lived by
the sea, where they catch nothing but shAd
and Goldfish balls
III tel you what" and she clapped her
hands at the thought, wen send the trout
over to the Grimshys. Gnmsby Is al the
time telling about has elegant friends. and
wei tel hum that We have some, too. who
shower trout upon us. The fish are I'M