The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-09-01
JiM AAlurAsp rHe Bosr-TAIl,

Af3fsns q gisni wfieffaii lhurders In toll
irde. Beiaw IL, whcn the river Ia high, I
M ghir whirlpool swlngs rousd ard round
sl9w ard solemn on the outer edge, faster
ard faster toward the middle, ending TO 4
elmpilng suck hole 10 the center, down
shica MI Hpatipg uiags are suddenly
draws, 10 bob up far below, where lhe
atdetcstrcnt enters the river channel.
Late 10 the afternoon ossrpring day lin
Haley and bis parirer, Billy Good, were
riding slorg the Salt River trail, locking
for cattle. /, was after great storm in
the mountains, and the whole ruth OF =
lspiirg ireshet Was boilIrg over the falls
Below swIrled The whirlpool, more than an
aere 10 extent, placid and slow, yet hold
lex all logs that 11ated In its grasp. A.
the roxboys siopptd their horscs TO gaze
upon II, Jim Haley ssw great dc, almost
foot aerots, rise slowly cut Of the water
and sink sgsIn. |. wGs The tail offs Colora-
do River salmon, or bory.tail, one of the
gsmltst fishes that swIms, AT the sight
q II Jim was seized with a desire to fish.
BY The side Of the whirlpool lay the iib
OF a giant cactus, long and stout as aty
bamboo red. In bis saddle.bsgs Jim had
hooks ard heavy llne. Fastening bis
line to the cactus rib, he placed churk
Of ffeEh beef on his hook and threw II cut
into the whirlpoo'-but with no results.
Presently Bully Good grew uneasy.
Say, Jim, be cried above the thunder OF
the fsll,, Ill 20 up by the willows yonder
and make camp When you get tired Of
fishing come on up and have some fried
bacon.
All right said jim. Y,u Try out the
bacon grease, ard I'll do the rest. I'm &C.
Ing to hsye fish for supper, or bust.
Leaving bis horse on the trail, Jim went
down nearer to the edge CT the whirlpool
ard threw Gu, his bait once more, Hardly
had 1t touched bottom when grtat bony-
tail sez d the hook and rushed a with the
bait.
Jim bracCd his feet and held fest, but no
rod could stand the strain. The csctus lib
bent almost double, then snapped short
tii In lis hands. Suddenly set free, the
boby.,sil tore madly round the whirlpool,
towing the broken pole above him. No.
where was the pool deep enough for him
to submerga the pole, and at times Jim
could almost reach 1t with long stck-a!-
most, but rot quite.
The longer Jim reached and strained fer
It the more exasperattd he became, and at
last he threw down the sick ard began to ,
take tfr his clothes. He was not an ex
pert swimmer, but he was determined 10
get that pole, even II he had to brave the
whirlpool. So be waded out In the shallow
water ard sngled sgsin and again with bis
long stick, trying to catch the floating pole
as 1t whipped to and fro before him. But
by some preveisity the bony.tail always
managed to keep Just beyond his reach, and
at last he lost all patience and plunged
boldly Into the current. With Ia faw strokes
he reached the cactus rib and turned back |,
to shore.
But at that moment his troubles tegaE.
As the line came tight the pony-.a'l made
a desperate rush cut across the whirlpool. !.
The jerk tore the pole from Jim's hand, :
but he reached back ard clutched II once
more. Having laid hs hand to the plow, .
go to speak, Jim Haley would not turn
back He had come out for that bony-tsil .
and he meant to bring him ashore or know
why not.
The next moment he knew. The monster
maddened by the the pull Of the line, raced :
straight cut scross the swirllng waters. i,
Before he could let 20 jim WAS In the midst
OF the whrlpoo!-too far from shore to ;,
swim back, caught in the drag Of the terri.
bic dimpling suck-hole. He could do moth
ing but hold on ard wait. With the swift !.
energy CT a tuzboa,, the bony-tsil towed 4
him through the lesseniug tlrclea, making \
Tor the opposite shore. Saved from the In
ner whirlpool, Jim resolved at the drat op- !,
TO cast loose from the pole and
Try to swim to land. 1.
But at the moment that the line slacken' 4
ID ard be threw the cactus rib from him, =,
lin felt the targle OF the line about bis
eet, and the ruth Of the fish for the deep :,
wafer. Then as he struggled to kick his =, -
Get loose the lioe was suddenly jIked taut :.
nd the pole whisked under wafer ard stop
I'D short. Jim Haley was caught by both ;,
ega, caught by his own line, and at the :,
mercy Of the maddened fish. :,
Like bob-eofk the bony.tal dragged :,
i'm cut across the waters, and at the resli. =,
alton Of bis helplessness, Jim raised bis q
ead and cried
Billy Help ~
But the roar Ct the falls drowned hls :.
ice; and Billy cat placidly by the fire, =, ~
rying out bacon grease to fry the fish. n,
Az il bent upon drowning him at once,
be great Il h made rush af,er rush, and vi,
/ esch rush JIm's hesd went under water, :,
I'd he fought lis way up with agasp. ,v
BILL Help. he cried ssan; and at the =, A.
zony In the cry bis horse on the trail ~,
hied ard snor,ee-but Billy cou'd not -
ear. ~
In the shallow water the bony tail paus-
a sgsin fer moment, and Jim wrenehed 81,
10 legs spart, yi0g to break the line, =,
shtllg with the desperation Of one who ~ ~
sces dta.h. The cord cut deep iato lis :,
nkles; be strained every muscle 10 part 40
!, tu. 10 vain. 04ce more The bouy@aIl :,
urged at the iae and raced out across the .a
wiring cep.
Billy ertd the drowning man, and the =
srror Of death raised his voice almost a. =,
owe The tnllen thunder Of the falls. -,
BIZ The dre Billy Good raised bis head IA,
I'd listened for a moment--bu. all was NJ.
Ilt. The call that might have reached ,,s
s.,. tsN hsen rhlkfd lima head dirsr. A.