The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-20
THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF SPORT

the first exhaustion that follows landing,
and either kept 1t or threw it back into
the water, according to whether 1t went
over or under the mark. Then, as his
plan embraced bringing his catch to
Grand Rapids alive, he first strung the
big fellows on his steel chain: but, not
having dozen along, he soon found that
would not work SO set to at another plan.
( He found nice little sandy-bottomed
pool in stream flowing out of the lake,
deep and wide enough to hold his fish, and
very carefully and strongly fenced it
with stout slips of brushwood reinforced
by stones and bound with willow witches,
$50 that there was no escape for his cap
tives, and then, as he took a Worthy-to-
go-into-his-r ga tch- class big Mouth,
he hurried to the pen and placed him
therein.
And after all his toll and pains his bass
We're required Of him by a-but that is get
ting ahead of the story. He completed
his tale of fifty by 2 O'Clock in the after
noon, and then. like! a good, aW-abiding
man, went back to the camp and ar
ranged with the whole crew Of, Tony's
men to assist in carrying them out to the
road in litter-carrieds tubs filled with wa
ter, then in a couple of pork barrels filled
with wa ter, and with provision made for
chunks Of ice to renew the oxygen as fast
as it should become exhausted, he pro-
posed to transport his fish, to toWn-the
whole scheme making the bass cost him
about dollar apiece; and dirt cheap at
that.
Well, his transportation outfit set out in
good order the next morning, reached the
lake, found the pen intact, but no fish in
it, nor anything else that looked like fish.
Nor was there trail Of marauder Of any
kind in the sand about. There are some
grlefs too deep for tears, and hence too
deep for description, but I may say that
the boys ascribed the whole story to in
san1ty-as he had whisky alOng-and
kindly, but firmly insisted on his returning
to town where he could receive medical
treatment, before he became worse.
And back he came as one in dream
finished his land trade getting wofully
the worst of it, and left for home in q
state Of mind which left the condition
of Rachel, or him who wept a son. but
fit Of rolicking hilarity, in comparison.
He couldn't explain and if he could have
furnished explanations by the bushel, and
sworn to every one, no man would have
believed him.
And yet he spoke truth, as was proven
by an extract here appended, from let
ter sent by Tom Fitz to Dan Gum, short
ly after. Said Fitz: II thought over the
matter quite a bit after that gilly left I
couldn't quite believe he was abughouse,
so I finally went over and caught four
big bass myself, put them in the pen he
made, and hid myself in the brush. to see
| if T could tole up the devil that had
| robbed him, for I thought only the devil
could do it and leave no tracks. And I did
| tole him, too easy. I hadn't been hid ten
minutes before up come a big fish hawk,
dived down, and went Oft with one of the
bass; then another, and so on, till all
four fish was gone. I expect if rIere'd
been a hundred fish they'd swiped EN- all.
So you see he told the. truth after all.
But who'd a thought what twas robbed
him 2" &C. c.. Kelly.