The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-04-05

moneys worth before he succeeds in
landing them
Every fan I go down from Topeka
and rousting out my lawyer friend,
Judge Rightmire, from his law office du-
ties. we HE away to the river for hours
of rare sport with rod and gun.
Our last effort was on glorious day
in October, and the sun had Just tipped
the tree tops when we pushed the little
boat from the bank, and with long
steady strokes passed cheerily down the
stream toward some favOrite pools. In
derneath one seat was a basket of lunch
and nearby a bucket Of live minnows
and craWtish, which occasionally re-
quired q change of water. This duty fell
to me while the judge did the rowing.
I was also expected to keep my eyes
open for a red fox squirrel or two, many
Of which made their homes along the
banks in the blackberry and cottonwood
trees. Notwithstanding that the judge
was rowing and sending great clouds of
smoke in front of his vision from an
ancient briar pipe, he espied shot
quicker than myself The little animal
was far up in the top Of a cottonwood
on the opposite shore. A quick glance
along the sights, and without a strug-
gle a plump cOrnfed specimen came
tumbling down through the branches to
the ground below. It was the work of
q moment to beach the boat, secure the
game, and pull on toward our goal.
A quarter of a mile was traversed be-
fore caught sight Of a patch of red, -
which indicated that the owner Of the
frowsy tail was lying outstretched on a
limb getting the benefit of the morning
sun. How to get at the GctIe rascal was
a problem, for not a portion of his body
big enough to hold a bullet was visible
After a brief consultation, the judge
drove the boat to land and, I softly step
ped I'D the bank and worked quietly
out from the tree, while the judge, with
gun in hand. let the boat drift back
toward the center of the stream. The
leaves, scented danger, and began work
ing around the limb toward the water
side. In a moment more the judges gun
cracked and down tumbled Mr.. Squirrel
as fine a specimen as the other, but
trifie older. This proved to be our last
squirrel of the day. Several more were
noted, but they were back in the woods
bounding from limb to limb, too rapidly
for a successful shot
The Cottonwood is a tortuOus, crooked
stream, and it was nearly ten o'clock
before we reached the place desired.
which we could have made in a half
hours brisk walk 'afoot and across
lots"
Letting the boat float idly along we
dug up our cane poles. of which we had
four, unWOund the lines and prepared
for business Now, bass is a pectfiiar
chap and somewhat of an eplcure- some
days his appetite Graves a craWfish or
a young catfish while other days ne
wants nothing and viii take nothing but
a lively schdbo m1nnoW- knowing TINS.
we baited our hooks with samples or
each, placed our corlZs about five feet
up, tossed the lines overheard, and set
tied down patiently for a bite
To one cooped up in an Office SO weeks
in 8 year, the hour and the surroundings
were Of the utmost pleasure. Nature
was on her best behavior and the day
] as perfect as is often given mortals here
below to enjoy. The silence was 50 in
tense that the dutteTing fall Of leaves on
the water was as dripping caves after a
summer shower. The softening cries OF
a circling flock of cranes hoated down
I through the hazy air. and nearer by a
sauey jay sat scolding its mate. The
4 first frost had turned the sumac to tints
I of brown and scarlet. and from the vines
along the dropping willows hung hum
/ dreds of ripened, purple grapes Under
! such areadian conditions worldly cares