The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-07-24
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afood-for it marked a turning pointin his
career. Up to this time lie had lived ems
5tirely on the provisions which his parents
had left him, but henceforth lie was indie
pendent and could take care of himself
Esq t must he admitted, however that he
did not look much like a mature trout
even nov. 40 q was less than thrce-quar
tiers Of an inch long and his big head,
i5bulglng eyes and capacious mouth were
solt ofTall$ proportion TO hisFsnlall and fee
BILE body But Zine and food were a Y
that was needed Il TO set these matters
right, and now that he had learned how
he set to work and did his level best, y
should be afraid Ito guess how many
ting water creatures insects and larvae
and crustaccae found their way down
his throat, but 4 1t Is Spretty#safe TO say
that he often ate more thans5his own
weight In Il single day. And SO lie grew
i'll size and strength and symmetry and
from being d quiet. languid baby, WAYS
hiding In dark corners. and attending
strictly TO his own affairs, he became one
}ofsthe liYelest and most inauisitivc little
fishes hi 8allEthe stream. TO q certain
extent he developed asfondness for trav-
cling, and nicompany with other tloutlets
of his own ago and size he often jour
neyed from place to place in search of
new surroundings and newt things TO
eat. IN rs time he found a bountliull TODD
supply inBtle MOSQUITOES and black flies
tina sWarned over The stream. and It
was fun to,sce him leap from the water
catch one Of tllemsin his mouth and drop
back with triumphant little splash
It would take too long to tell Of all his
youthful doings during the next year and
of all his narrow escapes. and the many
tight places that he got Into and out
OF. .t III .{ u
once aSls',lglishers dlved for him, missed
him by a e iars breadth. and flew back,
scoldng and Schattering,t to his perch on
an old stub that leaned far out over the
water. And once lie had "a horrible vision
or an Immense loon close behind HIM
with long neck stretched outand huge
bill just ready to make the fatal grab
lie lodged and I got away, but 1t friS lit
ened him about fas badly as anything
can frighten5s:, creature with no more
nerve than IA fish. And many other such
adventures. he had-too many to enumcr-3
ate. However. ] don't think hey ever
troubled him very much except for the
moment. He grew more wary. no doubt.
but lie didn't do much Worrying. some
how or other he always escaped by the
skin Of his teeth. and the next spring he
was swallowing the new crop of young
fry with as little concern as his older
relations had shown in trying to swallow
him. 81 "A "a 4i93&
s5 WIen he was ABOUT ~ year ana q haitt
old lie noticed that all the larger trout
In the stream We're gathering In places
where the water WAS shallnW,ithe bottom
gpebbly and the current rapid, md that
they acted as IL they thought they had
very important business on hand. d. He
wanted to do as the others did aud so 4 t.
happened that he Went back again togthel
glavally shallow where the air bubbles
had first found him. BY this time he was
about as large as your finger, or possibly
a trlne larger. and he had all the bump
tiousness Of youth and was somewhat
given to pushing himself In where no
wasn't wanted. ;5
The male trout were the first to arrive,
and they promptly set to work to prepare
nests for their mates. Who were expected
a little later. IT was IL simple process
All they did Was 10 shove the gravel
aside with their noses ui,d Inns and tails,
and then fan the sediment away until
they had made nice, clean little hollows
in the bed Of the stream; but there was
a good deal OF excitement and jealousy
over II, and every little while they had
TO STOP and have a SCRAP, The biggest
and strongest always wanted the best
places, and If, they happened TO take a
fancy for a location occupied by small
| er and weaker fish they drove him out
| without ceremony ald-took possession by
right of the conGperor- For the most
! part their iiglting seemed rather tame,
| for they did little moro than butt each
| other IN the ribs with their noses, but
once In n While they really GOT their dan
der up ana bit quite sayagely, And when
| The lady trout came To inspect the nests
I thai had been prepared for them, then
| Gmes We're l!Nclier than ever and the jcal-