The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-11-24

the door open and entered the room
At the first sound at the door Haskins
had leaped into corner Of the apart
ment, and there he stood looking like
some mOnstrous rat at bay, his yellow
teeth cleaning, a Winchester gripped
in his hands.
AS he recognized us he dropped the
gun with a sheepish yet relieved laugh
The judge strobe straight over to him
See here. you contemplate curl!
he Numbered, I've heard there were
men low enough TO hit q woman as
just heard You threaten to do. Blu.
I'll tell you this-gun or no gun. II!
break every bone in your body if ever
I catch you raising your hand against
her. and"
"Oh, judge!" broke in the wife
that's just Jared's way of talking
He wouldn't hurt fly. A gentler hus-
band never lived"
Clearly We were not ON" in this
domestic scene. At any rate, 1t was
evident from Haskins' cowed demeanoy
|
the woman. so, the Judge having recov-
cred his pipe and his temper and hav-
ing administered a parting warning to
the grumbling Haskins, We once more
set out
What do you think Of the truth
Of her claim that he wouldn't hurt a
fy?'" asked the judge, as we plodded
along
I'D hate to trust him in fly season,
I answered. IF you mean. what do
think of the truth of her denial that
he ever strikes her, think that there
are some lies which loyalty makes
nobler than the average truth"
We reached the stream and were
hard at work fishing before the heat of
the day had fairly set in. The fish
rose finely. and at the end Of the first
hour. when We came to count up our
catch. we were just even.
Hungry-Lunch Missing.
Hungry work." observed the Judge.
Suppose we stop for lunch now? And,
say!" feeling wildly among his various
capacious pockets, where's that lunch.
anyhow"
A hasty examination of my own
clothes was followed by the horrible
conviction that We were lunchless.
"All my fault" groaned the judge
II was carrying it when we started out
first time. When We went back for my
pipe and I heard that brute talking l
remember dropping the parcel of lunch
on the table so as to leave both hands
free in case he showed fight. And there
left 1t. like the idiot am! We're half
starved-and the full dinner pail seven
miles away! Only 13 miles nearer than
Sheridan. Suppose we build a fire and
cook the fish? Cantor how are you at
cooking fish? may as we'll confess to
you that my own ideas on the subject
are nil"
my own exactly coincide with your
honor's," l replied in legal phrase.
you put 'em in pan and twist 'em
about with some sort of motion, don t
you?" he asked.
81 must beg your honor to reverse the
notion" l laughed. ALSO, as we seem
to have neglected to bring along pan,
and as none seems to have been pro-
vided by the local fish commissioners,
I'm afraid the honorable gentleman's
appointment as cook must be tabled and
go over till the next meeting"
Hunger sharpens the wits. and our
hunger was growing every moment. So
at length brilliant idea occurred to the
judge. There was summer hotel new
ly started, about three miles to the
north. We did not know the exact To-
cation, but We had heard it was on the
stream. So by following up the stream
we could not fail. in time, to find it,
Fishing Contest.
Let's have fishing contest" cried
the Judge, elated at his solution of our
trouble. 1--WE stand even so far. Well
fish for half an hour by my watch, beat
ing the stream nOrthward. At the end
of that time the man who has caught
the fewest fish pays for two of the best
dinners the hotel can furnish"
With dreams of victory dancing be-
fore each Of us, we began the contest
But as though disappearing of such a
wager, the fish. which had heretofore
bitten ravenously, now sulked Not q
strike did We get In vain we put on our
most alluring flies. In vain we whipped
the deepest, shadiest pools where self
respecting fish might be supposed to
Turk.
Twenty minutes-25 minutes-28 min
utes crept by. Then howl Of Joy from
the judge, the flash of a great trout
leaping in midstream and-the rod
jerked from the judges surprised hand
and fell into the water Just beyond his
reach. Downstream rushed the trout,
towing the rod after him.
"You don't win that dinner after all.
judge" said.
Hold ont" he cried, excitedly, begin
ming to divest himself of his clothes
HE struck before the half-hour was
up. He is still on my line. If I can get
him ashore I win the bet"
you're not going after him?" I
queried.
Kicking off his last shoe, he waded
into the swirling stream without answer.
For three minutes I watched that
leading light Of the New York bar plung-
ing around chest deep IN the water in