The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-07-21
Sad Prediement Of Two Fishermen on
Sunday Morning.
TRAGEDY OF THE LOST Birdie
sam aud Moll by KenetoscoD-NearS
Waitin. for the Gallon OF Corn
Whiskcy-HCpes Rlasted-Tfle en-
lucky Nan and His Warning "Look-
out for Paint"

AN~a ~
made the new-ploughed earth smell
sweet and wholesome, put the tender,
green grass to qdivering with jewels,
and set the birds to hopping from
bough TO bough, all in glad chfrp AND
twitter, with tilted tails and winking
wings, | walked over to the residence
Of Major Willis in the suburbs Of Fay
%etteville, TO get some cabbage plants.
AS | went on. the sweetness of ma
u in the bud set me to thinking OF
the morning mist rising over the fish,
ing waters of Beaver Lake" ami the
yellow perch lying still but alert in the
deep holes below the old Murphy mill
on Rockfsh, and the big trout break
ing" like shafts of the morning sun
light on the bosom of the old Car
michael pond. Therefore l was not
surprised to find Major Willis setting
on his back piazza rigging up his tsn-
ing tackle for tho seasons spOils and
triumphs-rods, lines, reels and trools:
all lying about his feet in seeming on
fusion, with a method in their arrange.
ment, Notwithstanding.
Somehow, | never see Major Willis
without thinking of Major Pendernls,
in Thackerey's novel of that name-for
no other reason. probably than that
both are majors. both have side whis-
kers and bushy eyebrows and the CONT.
My major is not near so much of a snob
as Thackeray'S nero, and is furnished
with a far more respectable alderman
ic paunch.
Major Willis is the most inveteIare
fisherman | eve knew, and one Of tbs
most skillful and successful. Except
duplicate whist, TO which he deyotes
his evenings, ne regards every hour
given to other sport than angling as so
much lost time, entertaining a COR
tempt for glass-ball and clay-pigeon
shooting, golf, ETC.: and save for his
Bible, there is no book in his library
so precious as old Isaak Walton.
eyes," said the major, in answer to
my inquiries, Il am going to Black riv-
er tomorrow to fish TO a week with my
friend, DR.. Bruce. He writes me that
the water is just right, and that those
big goggle-eyed perch are biting fine
w." Major Willis made his outing, ans
here is what | afterwards heard abou'
, it.:
:. DR.. Bruce is a big-hearted old bache
lor, owning a large body of valuable
: farming land, who lives comfortabs!
=. and generously in the u WheIt
dwelt his father and grandfather pc
fore him. But as the old negro o o /
' the only woman en- the place, mucl
|, cannot be said of the housekeeping TO
neatness. The Scotch adage rules tier
"the clartier the cosier,' mentioned D,
h Scott in describing the cottage of tn
g / fisherman Mackhbacket in The Au.l
quarry"
S Of course they had good sport, TO
0 anyone acquainted with the Black rive
=. country knows that the fish from Their
long red-finned, club and perch a
i wide as your double hand-and no tw
6 men in North Carolina can bring ther
t out of the water, will We, will We, nor
effectually than Major Willis and Id
Bruce.
They set in Wednesday morning, an
were to fish thrC ugh the week, Resin
on Friday night, and that brough
about the catastrophe. On Satufda
morning it was raining heavlIy-ne
the intermittent showers OF the season
with a cleanup, but a steady doWn-pot
q warranted to last. Neither was a reae
ing man; and, when they had breaf
tasted like lords ON broiled perch, Tres
S butter. hot cOrn-bread and buttermlll
e had smoked their pipes, and overhaule
their tackle, time begin to hang neaF.
8 Now, if they could have fished stead
~ along, the supply Of old Nick WI
l. liams rye whiskoy carried Gown l
Major Willis, with the jug OF CD
= Juice" which DR.. Bruce was never VIII
u out, would have been an ample supp
IL for two professional fishermen, mut'
ally engaged in rivalry in the dlspis
, of their art and skill, would not ma
y had time to get drunk. But IL was Gu
= work playing two handed seven-up, al
:. then walked back and forth 10 u
window, to look cut over the souc'
fields, at the dropping chickens huddl'
=. under the caves CT the barn, ana dt u
~ melancholy colt turning his back to u
~ storm. Suffice it to say that the renial
'" OF the governor of South Carolina
= the governor of North Carolina was 7
~, peated with alarming frequency durll
70 the day, and that about y O'CLOCK oa,u
20 day night big black Sam, DIR. Bruce
NJ body servant, carried first n tn'
ne the other to the room, puiieo On Tx
boots, put them to BED.
1t was just good day on sumo
morning when Major Wills :"
from a dream that he had been chanS
into a demijhon IF copper with a sto
no per which he had made out of a pair
id ! old boots, and turned over with a gro
his tongue a long piece OF furry ieatn
n and his UPWARDS fairly Sizing.
"a the dim light of morning he bshe
lot the tall form of DIR. Bruce clad in
nm Powered calico dressing gown, ST
be mounted by a back velvet skull G.
as standing before an old clothes pre-
he while both arms were in violent a:
tation.
ed "Is that you, Dcc?" asked Major w
IT. lis. in a faint voice; What on ear
SO are You doing?"
ed .I,m irving TO find some liquor