The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-11-18
FISHERMAN'S LUCK.

} Jim sweeney, OF Hazleton, Pa. Il
brings only signs and bitter thought
70 me. IL reminds me OF the ingratitud
ol Constituencies; OF how true IL is tina
ones best laid schemes are apt to &c
4 contrary twist In 'em and hit him Il
the neck.
There never was a lot OF better trou
streams anywhere than there was on,
time In the vicinity of Hazleton, bu
they were all fished out years ago.
was In the legislature. and tried to ge
leading constituents OF mine up Their
to take hold and restock some Of tn,
streams so there would in time be goot
fishing again. but none Of them would
lend a hand.
A once famous trout brook was Lau.
rel Run; and after thinking the matter
all over went quietly to work and al
my own expense stocked that brook
with trout. No one else knew anything
about 1t, and | didn't intend that any
one else should until had first enjoyed
some sport on the rejuvenated stream
myself.
Il had patience enough to let the
brook alone for three years, and then
found that it was simply teeming with
lusty, eager trout Then. one beautiful
day in May. | meandered with full
soul out to the borders of the brook,
equipped for days Joy with the trout.
The first thing | saw as was I'M
folding my tackle on the margin of the
brook was big signboard on tree,
bearing this inscription in staring black
letters:
'.ssssssssssss..... ..........s.s.s..s
Private Property. I:
Trespassing Forbidden Under Pen ::
atty of the Law. |:
..................
Il was still in shocked contemplation
of the sign when a big, double-fisted
fellow came along and wanted to know
what was doing there. told him, and
he said that If | could lick him | could
go ahead and catch trout there, but If
I did, every one l caught would cost me
S., because that stream had been leased
its entire length by private parties, and
nobody was permitted to fish 1t except
them and their friends
"sAnd anyhow said the big guardian
lick me, so you better go back home
'The weight of argument seemed to
be all on his side, and retired. Every
trout in the brook was mine, but had
to let others have the fun of catching
'em. I never had the satisfaction OF
killing even one.
"The Nescopeck river, one of the then
pleasant environing waters of Halle
ton, seemed to me to be good stream
to stock with black bass, and as I had |
been bereft of my trout by migrate con-
l concluded that would put |
the Nescopeck in shape to give me some
black bass fishing at future day.
II stocked the river with bass, just
Is I had restored trout to Laurel Run,
and kept the fact to myself for the same
'eason.
There had never been black bass in
he Nescopeck, and / found, by and by,
hat mine were doing finely there.
When the stream was ready to be fished
started out to have days sport with
he first black bass fishing ever known
n the river.
ION the way to the stream heard the
Jews that big break had occurred in
he Upper Lehigh coal mines, and that
food of sulphur water from them was
,ouring into the Nescopeck river.
when got to the river the shores
we're lined by hundreds and thousands
t my black bass-great, big, lusty fell 1
,ws among them, too, tell you!-and
very living thing in that stream was
filed.
mot thing escaped the deadly poi
On from the mines, and there has never {
cen any fishing in that river since.
Then | remembered that soon after
ad stocked Laurel Run with trout had {
REQUIRED some German carp to accom-
,odate a constituent of mine who said t
e knew pond where carp would thrive y
nd some day give great sport to fisher
ZEN who liked that sort OF thing.
ut was far cry from trout and black
ass to carp, but felt that would like
,me little return for my efforts to en- t
ance the piscatorial interests of my e
strict; SO determined to try the carp g
They, at least unused, are sure v
beyond the reach of deadly capital A
Id sulphur water. q
II went to the constituent in whose a
terest | had labored in the carp mat a
r. and he told me that the fish had !!
me so we'll that the pond was full OF
EN-.
:" Why said he, enthusiastically. u
,me of 'em is yard long RI
"Apd he said that the beauty OF 1t
IS that not soul knew about them NJ
I himself. The pond was nine miles Of
I'm Hazleton. re
Il hired horse and wagon, and my o.
nstituent and I started for the pond ~
have a day with the carp. We had IL
ven almost to the pond when we met m
man whom knew.
He had wagon load of something u
vered with straw. stopped him and :"
sed him what he was carrying home,
uapted To he sociable and nice, | m