Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-20
FIRST SAMPLES OF FISH TALES
ForcinE the Seasons Crop, hut They
Are warm Members and Serve
na starters.

A few years ago I CHANGED TO be In a
tramp through the White hills OF New
Hampshire. when, near the close OF a hot.
dusty day, being somewhat wearied and
footsore. I sat down on a large rock over
hanging one of those little. dsshing noun
tain streams. Immediately underneath the
rock was a small. clear pool OF considerable
depth. Laying aside my knapsack and
stretching out as comfortably as possible,
l lay gazing into the cool depths below,
meditating on the distance yet to travel
before a good supper and more comfortable
bed could be found, when all OF a sudden I
was brought back to things present by
seeing an immense fish come down over
the rocks above and drop with a great
splash into the pool below. AS soon as
the WATERWAYS stilled I peered over the
edge. Glory! There, about two feet be-
low the surface, lay the largest speckled
beauty It had ever been my privilege to
look upon.
Stealing quietly to my knapsack, It was
but the work Of a moment to get out the
small jointed rod. select the most tempting
fly and drop it quietly just above him. He
must have been hungry, for he rose like a
flash. seized the fly and the fun was on.
No weary limbs now. Around and around
he went. The reel hummed unsteady as
AANt lAANt IldNtu buN dNh III ~ Jun RTueu
and trouble began when he shot down the
outlet, I after him. slipping, falling. run
ming, jumping. catching a glimpse of him
every now and then-but stop; each glimpse
I had he seemed to be smaller. Had the
heat OF the day affected my head and
sight? I must stop him. Taking my hat
for a net, I soon landed him, not one-half
as large as at first. On lifting him out OF
the hat, l pulled a smaller one right out
Of his mouth and a still smaller one out
Of the mouth of this one and so on until
l had pulled out seven trout. each smaller
than the one which had swallowed him.
Being so astonished, l had thoughtlessly
dropped each one back into the brook at
my feet. Carefully pulling the hook from
the mouth of the last one, there came to
my view THE fly" Disappointing What
say you fishermen? Listen:
Forty years ago when my fathe was
captain of an east India trading ship,
while off the coast of Africa near the
equator, the ships carpenter was taken
sick and died. He was sewed up in can
vas and with him was sewed his kit Of
tools and grindstone for ballast to sink
him. Services were held and the body
committed to the sea.
Four days later the ships boy fell over
board and a great shark came up under the
stern and swallowed the boy before he
could be rescued.
The next day the shark was still follow
ing the ship. A shark hook was baited and
put over the stern and the shark was
caught, but was so large It could not be
taken on board and they were obliged to
shoot him. He looked so plump and large,
the mate. who was an old whaler, wanted
to go over the side and cut the fish open.
/ He was lowered over and ont q bo1a e.
the shark and was surprised to hear voices,
and on looking in saw the ships boy turn
ing the grindstone for the ships carpenter,
who was sharpening his ak to cut their
way out.
My father, who Is 50 years old, can
vouch for this that it is a fish story. -Bos-
ton Journal.