Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-04-04
Maria's
Fishing
she Had a Novel Way
of Doing II
By CLARISSA MAcKIE

expressed surprise at his idleness one
crisp October morning.
TOO much sea 2" | inquired.
He nodded and scratched his gray
stubbly beard. Winds been east fol-
three days now. and that there oily roll
would turn my dory hull up'ards In nc
time. No, ma'am, you can tell Miss
Weeks
You can tell her yourself, cap'n."
came Miss Maria's sharp voice from
the gate. Here I be!!'
There's some roll on today" he said
looking away over the greenish gray
waters of the bay.
First time | eve suspected you was
a fair weather sailor" shifted Mari
scornfully.
"It amt me; it's the fish," explained
Captain Barnabas hastily. ~ amt
afraid OF weather"
81 shouldn't think the fish would be
either, they being more used to the
water than you are"
"They won't bite" explained the cap
tain with dignity.
Fiddler snapped Maria so sharply
that Captain Barnabas jumped In his
sea boots. "EIow Is it I've smelt fish
frying over at Lucy brakes every
night this week? Somebody must
catch EMIL find out who 1t is" She
turned away and went up the gray.
eled path to the little white house that
faced Ounce harbor. After she had
slammed the side door I stole a glance
ut Captain Barnabas Fish.
Leaning against the picket fence.
his hands In the pockets of his blue
flannel trousers. his blue eyes squint-
ing across the bay at the black line
OF breakwater. Captain Barnabas seem.
ed Indifferent to the anger of the
plump little woman toward whom l
was sur he nourished a secret attach
ment.
somebody must catch fish for Lucy
Drake" I whispered softly. 81 won
der who IL is!''
A red flush crept from the captains
sunburnt neck up to his ears and dis
appeared. Miss Telham." he said sol
EMMY. ITS mel"
II thought-you said-the fish would
not bite | gasped Indignantly. I was
loyal to Maria. for she was a fine soul
in spite of her affected crustiness.
Lucy Drake | did not like. | turned to
the gate, but the captain lifted a huge
brown hand to check my departure.
1T may seem queer to you, ma'am,
after my promising Maria I'd bring her
the first ketch Of fish. but I had to
take them fish to Lucy Drakew
"Why!" | asked bluntly.
"Becuz," he said. with d~iscouraging
brevity.
"You could easily have brought some
to Miss Maria as WELL" l said disap-
provingly.
Luck was ag'in it." he returned
gloomily. you may not believe 1t.
Miss Telham. but / been out every day
for a week past, and I amt caught but
one fish each day-and that there fish
I had to give to. Lucy Drake"
Then you have been out fishing this
morningy"
do l look like a fair weather sailor,
ma'am?" he asked coldly. II went out
at daybreak. and l caught one fish.
same as usual, and I suspect that you
and Maria will soon be ketching the
smell Of frying fish from Lucy
brakes"
! turned my head toward the neat
white cottage next door to Maria's.
Surely I could detect a smell Of frying
fish!
The whistle Of the -four mill smote
the stiffness of the day.
Its dinner time" observed Captain
Fish, and. with the same nervous haste
exhibited by all Ounce Harborites at
the hour of noon. he nodded briefly and
plunged down the beach toward the
dory wn up on the sand.
He slept and ate and made his home
on board Of his schooner, the Indus,
named after a ship In the Calcutta
trade of which he had once been mas
ter.
A half hour afterward / went up the
path into Maria's house, shifting rath-
er guiltily at the smell Of frying blue
fish, which seemed to emanate from
Lucy brakes little kitchen. To my
surprise l caught a glimpse Of Lucy
brakes thin nosed face at the window,
and she was dabbing a handkerchief
against her eyes.
When l entered Maria's house l was
instantly hungry. On the oval table
In the low dining room was a platter.
On the platter was still sizzling a de-
iicious looking blueish. brown and
crisp from the frying pan. There were
q plate Of cor bread and a dish OF
creamed potatoes and other good
things.
Miss Maria dew In from the kitchen
her cheeks a bright crimson and her
black eyes Swapping with some inward
excitement.
II was just going to call you to din.
Der. Miss Teiham.r she said shortly.
As we sat down she bolhed her head
and uttered a hasty and rather un
gracious benediction over the fish plat
ter.
"Have SOM fsh?e she asked shortly
III ron please. SO you got one. aft
er ellf" l remarked.
4 LLAA :.