The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-06-02
rHE ILLNEss OF ELLloTr.


the city l begin TO feel worse I am so
restless and irritable that the boys in the
ot the Office are talking about il.
have to force myself TO work and this
afternoon / lost 4 good contract simply
because 1 felt too badly to quarrel with
old man Hari1ins over the prelin1inaries.
don't seem 10 take any interest IN
anything"
You'd better see Dr. Robinson" said
his wife.
That afternoon Elliott went over TO the
doctors Office and described his symp-
toms 10 the sympathetic physician.
There don't seem TO be anything def
mite the matter with you" said the
doctor. Wen wait and see what devel-
ops. Come in and see me again IN a
week"
Going home that evening on the train
Elliott sat in front of two young men who
were talking so earnestly that he could
not fail TO overhear what they were say
ing.
fought for thirty minutes" was the
first thing that caught his ear, and when
landed him he weighed four pounds and
a half"
Large mOuth7" inquired the second
youth.
NO. indeed. He was small mouth
and the gamiest fish yer got hook
when are you going up?" asked the
first man.
I'm going on Wednesday evening TO
spend four days. You see Thursdays
Memorial Day, and we close at noon on
Saturday anyway. so III only lose a day
and one-half and I can get four days
good fishing out of it."
That evening when Elliott got home he
took down the big tin box which con-
tained his fishing tackle and overhauled
Is contents. There was a delightful mem
ory in every reel and spoon hook He
oiled up his favorite multiplier and fitted
together his pet bamboo casting rod His
wife had to call him several times to come
10 dinner and when ne came she noticed
that he seemed to eat with a better ap-
petite.
How do you feel tonight. winiam?''
she asked
4 believe I feel a little better" he
said. THE doctor says he thinks 1 need
out Of door exercise, and 1 think I'll
stop in the morning on my way down
town and make a few casts at the pool IN
Garfield Park But he couldn't decide
what was the matter with me. I'm to
see him again in a week"
But when Elliott got to his Office
shortly before noon the next day he seem
ed to have suffered a relapse. He had
spent an hour casting rubber frog at
the pool in Garfield Park and there was
even more distraught and nervous than
before, and several times during the af-
ternoon he got up from his desk and
seizing the light bamboo rod by the butt
made vicious lunges about the Office with
it and then smiled complacently to him
self His partner looking on in wonder
half questioned whether or not poor Eli
lot was mentally affected.
Elliott left the Office early and visited
big downtown fish market where he
bought half a dozen black bass an eight
pound pickerel, and mess of croppies."
When Mrs. Elliott demonstrated with her
husband for bringing home such a whole
sale supply of fish he was inclined to be
angry.
You know well enough" he said, "that
have no appetite. I can't eat a thing
and 1 am losing flesh. You ought to be
glad if 1 can find something which ap-
peals to me. You seem TO think that
there's nothing the matter with me. But
know I'm in a serious condition. I'm
nervous and restless, I've lost interest
in my business, and the doctor is utterly
unable TO diagnose the case. And here
you are kicking because ] bring home a
fish. You ought to be ashamed OF your
self. Now let's have the croppies fried
for breakfast-I don't suppose they'll
taste Ike anything-and the pickerel
baked for dinner"
second time he felt that he was fast
going into a decline. The physician
listened TO him and then made thorough
and searching examination.
Its strange, Elliot" he said finally
but I can't tell for the life Of me what's
the matter with you. You are certainly
suffering from an extereme obscure dis
ease. I'll give you q tonic and I want
you TO telephone me as soon as you
notice anV new svuutOunS -
The next day was the Wednesday before
Memorial Day, and when Elliot got TO his
Office he found among the mail on his
desk a somewhat dirty and rumpled let
ter which was postmarked at a logging
town in the big woods of northern Wis
consin. For some reason he laid aside
much important business letters bearing
on some big contracts and tore this dis
reputable envelope. 1t contained a sheet
of paper evidently torn from an old ac-
count book and the writing was plainly
crooked and Iaborious.
Mr.. Winum Elliot, ESQ" it began.
Dear Bill: I thought I would write you
a letter 10 let you know that the muskies
are biting like the devil this spring IN
the South Fork OF the Flambeau. The
ice has all been out for three weeks and
me and Murph have jus come back from
poll up to the lake. We caught eighteen
pound cuss a the foot Of Little Bull rap
ids and up az Fishtrap we got about a
dozen big pike in half an hour. There
has been high water this spring in all
the creeks and I miss my guess if they
amt the best fishing this spring We
ever seen in this country
SAY. YOU remember that bunch OF bass
we pulled out of them sunk tree tops at
the mouth of Sduaw creek Ne an Murph
stopped there last Friday and we yanked
eighteen out in twenty minutes. And We
got a lot of strikes cast around the shore
near the Pork Barrel with frogs the next
morning.
"NIurph and me have got new canoe.
eNtry wide and thirty feet long. We
pinched the trees down on the reservation
this winter and got EN- down the river
without the Injuns ever gettin' on 70 Us.
II you're thinking about coming I'D
this spring you'd better bring about eight
dozen frogs along and rnebhe you better
send me q telegraf message. 20 I kin git
everything all ready. Ed Johnson was
over from Milwaukee already and had
a good ketch. Wen. gcOd-ny, until I see
Andy. the bum guide.''
Elliot read the letter over again Then
he laid # down on his desk and walked
over 20 his partners desk
..Frawlett' he said. I've Just found
out what's the matter with me- N SUI
ering from a severe attack n rnussel-
lunCe on the brain. we been 70 the best
doctor in town. but be couldn't %
thing for ne didn't even know what
was the matter with me. Just nov
eot letter from nv old north woods
euIde Andy" and be diagnoses nay case
n the dot lie says muskles ere biting
IKE rha devl this spring an1 ne says
81 I'm coming up this Spring - "lre ai-r
I've se-t him q message already and n
ccIng uo tomorrow night % ster over
sunday TouorroH holiday anyhow
ard we close ~ noon or SATURDAY. 50
TU lose only hagf q dav. I want - 81