The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1906-08-01

then the fish simply pushed 1t aside
and came swimming along beside its
captured mate. He fooled along four
or five minutes, trying to interest the
bass in frog legs, but never succeeded
at all. Then he reels in, takes off the
frog, and puts on phantom minnow.
1t was brand new phantom, green and
silver, with darker fins and mighty
pretty bait, but it didn't work any bet
ter than the frog. The big bass would
have nothing to do with 1t.
Every now and then I'd give the
bass on my line jerk through the
water, and every time the big fellow
would start up like flash and follow
it. My fish was hooked lightly in the
upper jaw and there was piece of pork
rind which was using for bait sticking
out of one side of its mouth. AS
watched the two fish coming along
through the water | suddenly saw that
the big fellow had also noticed that
pork rind. He swan up close to his
mate and made a savage clip at the
projecting pork rind with his jaws. He
caught it, too, and then proceeded to
shoot around and through himself
almost out of the water.
'B'gosh You've got 'em both
hooked yelled 'Murph'
i thought | had, too, and started to
reel hard, but just as 'Murph' was
reaching for the pair of them with his
landing net the big chap shook the
piece of pork out of his mouth and
lay off couple of feet, still within
six feet of the boat, and watching us
with both eyes. All this time, you
know, they were both on the top of
the water
" Try him with a piece of pork rind
| called to Uncle Jimmy. That's what
he seems to like
Uncle Jimmy put nice brown piece
of pork, with a white belly, on his
spoon and let it drop almost into the
jaws of the big bass. But he never
even smelt of it.
'Bgosh!' said 'Murph,' that big fell
Ter was just trying to get his wife loose
Wnen ne TOOK your bait.
And it certainly did look that way.
Uncle Jimmy is a nice, gentle, tender
hearted little man, and he was begin
ming to be touched by this example of
loves devotion
Through the furnace, unshrinking,
thy steps I'll pursue,
And shield thee, and save thee, or
perish there, too
l caught him quoting, and there was
something shiny in his eye.
Say, judge he said, lets let 'em
go. It's too much like breaking up a
happy home to suit me-
Il was willing for the devotion of
that big bass, whether it was maternal
or uxorious, was certainly extremely
touching.
I'm going to let it CO. says to
'Murph, but he stopped me.
No use,' he says. That old girl
on your hook has been dragging
through the water too long. She's fair
drowned by this time
But l reeled her up to the boat and
'Murph' lifted her with the landing
net. 1t was female bass all right.
Then we looked to see what had be-
come of the big fellow. He had dis
appeared.
That's about where l saw him
last | says, and makes a little cast
with my empty spoon. 1t no sooner
hit the water than up he come, boiling,
and fairly swallowed the book, spoon,
and swivels and all. Then l expected
great fight, but, Lord, that bass never
even tried to get away. Why he just
come running right up to the side of
the boat and sat there, on his launches
as quiet as you please, waiting for
'Murph' to get busy with the landing
net. We lifted him and he fell off the
hook right beside his dead mate, and
lay there without making a single flop.
| shall always feel"
Just then the listener rudely inter-
rupted.
Il wonder, judge" he said, looking
out of the window, "if it's going to rain
all day?"
Il don't know, SIR" snapped the
judge, sharply. What did you call to
see me about, anyway?-H. M. H., in
Chicago Tribune