The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-12-03


 again. Though I had said I would fisl
 no more, somehow or other found my
 self, rod in hand, quietly strolling dow
 toward the river, and saying to myself
 Well, perhaps I'll take another cast O
 two, as l shall not get another chance
 before next year.
 But the odd thing was, not ris'
 could 1 get; the fish seemed to have
 left off feedin, altogether. Of course
 this made me keen as mustard. Yot
 know hate to be beaten over anything
 and I stralghtway began fishing my 1 level best. I'll have another half dozer 1 trout or die, thought l. But you vii ! hardly believe me when I tell you il
 was not until o'clock that l got my
 first fish that afternoon. I rose him
 at the tail of the big pool, by those haw- thorn bushes wonder.
 After that I did not get rise for some time. I do not much believe in changing my fly. but that afternoon | ransaeked my book to see if I could not | get something which would make them rise. But the water had cleared a bit, the sun was bright, and I suppose the fish had pretty well satisfied their ap- petites during the morning.
 q was just about going to give up, being thoroughly beaten as a man could we'll be, when I saw something fall from the big aspen tree at the corner of Sal lys Mead and good sized fish rose at it with a splash. could see by the swirl of the water that it was some thing much bigger than we usually get out of out little river, so l made a de- tour, came quietly up stream knelt down and made careful cast over the spot where I had see nit rise. My flies had got dry while I was walking down the river and floated on the surface, and I did not like to drag them for fear of disturbing the fish, and, would you believe it, up he came at little soldier palmer, and I found I was in a monster.
 By gad, sir did have a fight with him. I thought every moment the cast or the line, or the rod or something would break Three times he leapt out of the water and I saw his spots as plainly as I can see you. Then with rush he went up stream quite twenty yards running after him as fast as could go.
 You know I never carry a landing net when I am fishing my own bit of the river, and I was in pretty quan- dary, wondering what l should do if ever had the luck to bring the fish up to the bank He tried hard to get under the camp sheathing, which, which I put up when the cattle had trodden down the bank-I suppose the stream had washed a hole underneath it-but l held him firmly, expecting every min ute something would break and reeled in whenever got a chance.
 Then he bolted for my own bank, the line went slack and my heart was in my mouth for the moment l had determined by this time to ladle him out with my straw hat, and soon after this maneuver on his part he gave me a chance. But bless you, on seeing the hat come near him he bolted, this time down stream, and to my horror got mixed up with some weeds.
 "1 held on tight, and would have gene in. but the place was muddy just there. and I should have been up to my waist and probably stuck. But being so late in the year the weeds were a bit rotten, I suppose. for presently my gentleman came away with lump of weed across his broad l shoulders He was pretty we'll done by this time, and I brought fish and weed | close to a shelving place on the bank | and gradually drew theIot up on to | Try land.
 Perhaps you will hardly believe it, | out I found myself trembling with ex- ,itement. my knees almost giving way lnder me. had no more wish for fish ng that day, as you can we'll imagine, md as soon as had recovered myself carried my prize up to the house and weighed him. By George, he scaled ex- ,ctly two pounds and uarter of an ounce London Field.