The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-06
THE FISHERMAN AND THE BEE.


time Our lsbors with the various sena-
tors. governors ard legislators, with the
president and with candidates. presump-
tive and otherwise. had proved very ex-
haUstilg TO the Colonel
The preparation of numerous speeches
and the disappointment OF not always
iHfne able TO deliver them had made him
3 pcevIsh an! ar w5s taken with that long
ing for the forest and the cool, sfadowy
pools where the fish are calling which
so often besets the busy man of affairs.
We found ourselves one warm DAY on
a beautiful lake in the North Woods. row.
ing into the mouth of a stream that tum-
Died over the Eoss-covered rocks in a
series of cascades from far up the
, mountain side.
The Colonel got into his rubber boots
ana took from his hat a couple OF flies.
which. he informed me. were of about
the color of the moth flying that day
The Skitts We're never fishermen, but 1
managed 10 founder into pair of rubber
boots. provided at our hotel and pre-
pared to do as nearly as possible what
ever the Colonel did. l will not describe
our adventures while wading up the
brook and the Colonel has promised not
/. to go into detail as to my part in them,
but we had advanced we'll up on the
side Of the mountain when we heard a
peculiar noise. though some heavy
body was breaking its way through the
bushes and coming down with ponderous
tread on the great boulders that form
ed the bed of the brook
l will admit 1 was somewhat alarmed.
( II seemed to me that only a bear could
make such a commotion in the woods,
and as the noises seemed to be approach
ing US rapidly / kicked of my rubber
boots and took to the nearest tree The
Colonel only looked surprised and clam
bered to the top OF a huge boulder TO
see what the connection was all about.
Just at this moment the rneshes parted
and heavy, red-faced gentleman. with
a great string of fish, came putting into
view. His face had a wonderfully ia
miliar look to me. but for the life of me
1 could not place him. All l cared for at
that moment was the fact that he WASH I
a bear. The Colonel evidently did not
know him, for he merely gave him good
day and complimented him on his catch.
Yes. / have been quite lucky" said the
stout gentleman, seating himself on a log
and wiping his brow with a large ban
dana Il always catch fish; they seem TO
come to me-
Meanwhile, / was trying TO slide down
unperceived, out Of the tree. but a pro-
jecting limb caught my trousers and 1
was precipitated almost into the lap of
the stout stranger.
Permit me. sir" said the Colonel in an
effort to cover my embarrassment, Ito
present to you my friend. Mr.. SlSitt. He
took YOU for a bear coming down from
the mountain, and retreated into the tree
top.
You need not apologize said the stout
gentleman. good-naturedly. Bear Is a
complimentary term compared to some
that have been applied to me at times.
he. -ofd oil
fishermen: join me in an effort to coun-
teract the dampness of the woods" With
this he drew out a silver flask. on which
was a monogram that I endeavored in
vain to make out.
II am usually called the Colonel" said
my fellow fisherman, so it is permissible
for me to take drink
we'll I'm a former Governor" said
the stranger and you know what one
Governor always says to another
"A former Governor" I said to myself,
as the generous liquor flowed down my
throat. Then | gave a gasp and almost
strangied as it dawned on me who the
stout gentleman must be. OF course. II
would be most indicate to break into his
incognito and yet [ should like to have
warned the Colonel.
The gnats seem to have been very
bad up in the higher attitudes from which
you come, sir said the Colonel. for the
strangers face was covered with insect
bites
Say bees said the stout gentleman with
a grim smile. Ut was little joke he
was enjoying all by himself) Il used to
be in the bee business. Why. do you
know. they have swarmed twice in this
hat, and l never lost bee either time.
This old hat hung up for years in my
attic and when | got it down TO start on
a fishing trip this spring, 10 and behold!
they were swarmfng in il again
How very extraordinary gasped the
Colonel. Are you quite sure there are no
bees in it now?'
You never can be quite sure said the
stout gentleman. while | slid of a SIP
perry rock into the brook.
Il infer from your statement in regard
to having been in the bee business
heard the Colonel say, as I crawled out
on the bank that you meant us TO I'M
derstand only in Pickwickian sense that
you were once Governor.
Well" said the stout gentleman with
a smile, Il was at least real sheriff
once"
Did you carry on the bee business at
that time asked the Colonel.
"Oh. no." said the stranger. when I
went into the bee business / gave II my
whole attention"
You have been a great student of ma
ture and of sports, I presume. said the
Colonel, politely. DO you go in for big
game ct aH?'
well. | may say So" said the stout
gentleman. with a CLEAN of satisfaction
in his eye. Il have on two occasions
brought down the greatest game known
10 man Yes. sir; 1 have looked the
lordly elephant IN the eye when he was
charging u30n me, and laid him low
But, Colonel said the stranger. chang
ing the subject abruptly. these great
trees rising about US remind me that l
used to be al the head Of the greatest
log rolling business in the world
Colonel" said I. IS he began whipping
the stream did YOU ever hear OF more
than one man who was "A sheriff then a
governor and then successfully cultivated
bees in his hat?
Great Oligarchs, Mr.. Skitt, You don
mean To say he was Grover ----
w. y. Rogers, in New York Herald