The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-13

ducked, n the devils foxier'n any angel. N
the lumberjack II win out 'leven tinles outer
nine. Philosophy OF Col. wheaton.
Johnson was up here last summer. His
name. by the way, isn't johnson but on
the smell as sweet principle, l will call
him johnson, and let it go at that. john
son was making many excursions by his
lonesome all over the country, and hav-
ing lots of fun. going in and out OF town
as the spirit moved him, SO no one thought
anything of it if he was out OF sight FOR a
day or two at a time.
He seemed able to take care of himself
pretty we'll and at any rate he didn't ask
questions but Quilted into every PROPOSE
ton he encountered, and found out all
about it for himself. A good principle to
60 on too If it isn't overplayed. But
Johnson overplayed it once-and hence
this narrative.
1t CHANGED that local devotee of the
angle had No. Meek reel, and a Bristol
steel rod. both Of which he valued as his
own right eye, and by some means, pre-
sumably foul, for the local brother would
not voluntarily loan either to mortal man.
Johnson got possession Of them, and went
out to try for bass in nearby lake.
known to be pretty we'll fished out. but
also known to harbor a few of the biggest
and wariest big mouths that ever taxed
the bad language capacity OF mortal ang-
Ter And Johnson. rod. and reel We're as
the things that are not, locally at least.
immediately afterwards.
There was some talk for Whlle or
sending out searching parties to look for
him. insomuch he were a stranger-the
rule for inhabitants being that q man
finds his way back Or stays OUTPUT be-
fore any decision was reached, Bert Pow
ers received a letter from the missing
johnson stating that he had lost the
tackle had "skipped' dreading the wrat tn
of the owner. but requesting that the loss
be made good at his expense. Which was
done. Johnson being good and that was
the last of the matter
But the story was too good to be lost
and a. short time ago friend Of john
sons received letter giving the par
ticulars, and here they follow, condensed
bit:
IT went out to that little pug-hole, got a
Sudden DEATH boat from a man living
thereby, and set out to see If could get
one Of those big ones you fellows lie about
with such an easy grace. l went all over It..
but for couple Of hours I had my labor
for my pains. and never strike to tighten
1t. BY that time had worked around to
the north end Of the pond. where there was
a kind Of marshy peninsula pushing out
into the water, the greater part of it COW
cred with lily clumps, bassweed, and other
vegetable growths, and perhaps two feet
of muddy water. tho 1t dropped off to a
very decent depth all around the edges Of
the spit Of land
that If the tabled monsters were in the
lake at all that this would be the very
habitat Of them. and after while I found
had sized it up correctly. l cast from,
the deeper water out among the lilies,
and reeled in rapidly SO as to keep my
frog near the surface, and steadily NOV
ing. and 1t was not long before I had a
strike. splendid tussle. and managed at
the end of it to boat regular alderman OF
bass He looked all Of five pounds, he
mi hoy hnar, rot ~
chance to weigh him, but I'll take oath
on the book of Izaak that he was all OF
five.
"rhen I got two more. If anything, a
shade heavier. and began to think that
would go back and do little Growing my
self when that pious crowd of yours gath.
cred in the evening. But I concluded tt
drift around the peninsula once more, an6
there's where I over did it. I got hall
way round and then had a strike Of e
whale. He jumped once and Holy Father
1zaak! If he didn't weigh all Of eigh
pounds may never tell the truth about &
fish again. When he went down he head
ed straight for a thick clump Of lily pads
having felt the sting of hook before be
Nond a doubt and tho I gave him the butt
and put every ounce of strain on rod-til
and line 1 dared, I couldn't stop him.
might as we'll have cast into a mogul en-
Sine. and tried to hold 1t.
''He got into the lilies, wrapped tn,
line all kinds of ways about their stems
and of course 1 thought had lost him
But | wanted to save as much Of the linz
possible, so I padded into the lily
clump. and there he was two or thre
feet below the surface Of the water, tie,
up so short by the entangled line tina
he couldn't get a purchase to jerk free
and so enmashed by the COMPOUNDED slim.
stems. and weeds. that I couldn't lge
my landing net under him.
about there it was me to do the in
evitable fool trick. and did it. I sound
ed the depth Of water with my paddle, an,
seeing it but little more than two feet,
stepped overheard without thinking wha
kind of bottom it might be. found out
1t was liquid glue, and I went down a
far as Edgar Of Ravenswood did in tn
Kelpies Flow, and if hadn't been able t
grab the side of the boat, I'd have gon
on till I struck China, do verify believe
Tho the boat careened fearfuly file
half full OF water, and let my fish float OF
and away it upheld me, and then I mad
desperate struggle to get out of the mu6
and into the frail bark. But didn't do
thing but exhaust my strength till coul
barely retain my hold on the boat, an
then began to yell.
Now by my good luck, tote roa
passes the upper end Of the lake. mayb
eighty rods from my place Of detention
and, better still, team came alon
giving out. Best of all, there was a ma
of resource with the teamster, and h
got busy at once to get me out. Thi
good man cut down a 'popple' stub on tn
brink of the water, jumped on It, hi
weight sinking it to the waters edge
and, pushing and padding with pole
also cut. he reached the boat in surpris
ingly short time.
He jumped in lightly as bird nigh
baled the water out with his hat, manage
to- work me around till was at tn
stern end of the boat, and after alnnos
pulling my arms and legs out Of the1
sockets, landed me in the bottom of til
boat, gasping like a fish out of waite
Then he padded the whole concer
ashore and made the discovery that h
was about ten drinks drunken than TIL
law allows, and didn't care who knew i
II couldn't get him to take cent. an
had hard work to get out of fighting hill
fol, offering him anything, and away wer
men and team, neither Of whom have
seen or heard Of since. And about thu
time it dawned on me that had lost fisl
rod and reel. but if they had been pur
gold your uncle was content to let the1
stay lost, and it was me to get cleane
off, dried out and sneak to the depot
board the train on the off side and ava
before the story got OUT.
&c. c. Kelly.
+. = , 5..7