The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-24
The Fish That Knocked On
 The Window.
BY FRANK B. MOORE.

Teeney Pearl was the daughter of fisher man. Her father lived in boat house on tho shores of the great Missouri River where 1t flowed swiftly by the earth walled founda- tons of populous Western town.
 Behind Teeney's small frame house rose the high clay banks, with only hese and there soping path .'ising to the top. To the front. and facing the great level plains which stretched away Into the West rolled the river. Piles held the boat house several feet in the air above the level of the waters.
 reeney's little playground beneath the boat, and in it's shadow on the beach during the afternoon when the sun had melted the snow and warmed the earth, was stocked with the simple treasures that the moving tide Lad cast upon the shore.
 Teeneys father was industrious. Every night he rowed far out into the river and cast his weighted lines into the water. Early in the morning Teeney stood on the bank and watched him draw them in and remove the cruel hooks from the fishes before they were taken to the market in the city. Idllng along tte shores aud standing by the side of the deep places she little girl gradually came to know the playground of the flnny creatures that had their home in the waters.
 Around little bend not far from her boathouse home Teeney one day discovered great catfish in the bottom of a deep pool. It was a cool, shady spot and the big hsh lay on the bottom when the day was hot. and Teeney could see it move its fins and roll It's long tail about.
 At first she was greatly pleased at her discovery. She thought she would run ana tell her father about the fish. It was mucn bigger and longer than any she had ever seen him draw from the river But the big fish looked so peaceful and innocent that she resolved to let it alone. This determine ton became fixed when one day she saw several little fish swim and circle around the big fish -,
 Teeney concluded that they were its chil-
 ron and that the pool was their home. She said to herself
 ''I will let the poor fishes live In their nome down deep in the water"
 Every day she carried bread to the pool and dropped IL into the water and sne laughed with glee as she watched the big fish bite 1t and all the little ones swim around after the crumbs. By and by the big fish began to watch for the little girl, and 1t would rise to the surface to take its dinner of bread from her hand. Many hours were spent by lonely Teeney with her strange companion of the deep.
 One morning Teeney's father said he would take his lines and fish in the pools along the shore. Her heart filled with dread for the fate of her friend. While her father was preparing for h.s excursion she ran to the pool and hurled stones into 1t. The pig Ash rose to the surface and looked at the little girl. us tyts stthVu Ao "'t - uression of grief. Teeney shouted:
 "Go away from here, you big fish! My father Is coming to catch you on his hook.
 The fish sank from sight and Teeney went hack 10 her home and watched in trembling while her father cast the alluring bait into tho water After time the fisherman gave m and went on to another pool, saying as he went that he did not believe there were any Ash In that part of the river.
 After that followed many rainy days when Teoney could hardly stir from her little home The water rose to an alarming height and the ishermans family was in danger of heinz washed away The boat was old and leakv from standing In the warm sun sh,ne They felt that they would have to move if the river rose much higher, for the water was creeping up towards the bottom of inc boat and the piles were covered many inches from their foundations.
 \, hen Teeney cravied into her little bed one night and looked out over the waste of waters she thcugLt of her friend, the blp fish. and she pcered into the depths of inc river and wondered if he would be snfe with all the water washing and wash- ing down toward the sea that she had heard so much about and which was somewhere