Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-03-28
GlLFADDEN'S GOLDFISH
BY AMELIA coWAN.

IilIaooen was fastening down the
street toward the dock where he was
to take his boat to cross the lake when
he caught the CLINT Of red gold in q
shop window.
Say" he muttered to himself as he
paused and watched number of gold
fish darting to and fro in the clear wa,
ter. That's just the thing for the
porch at the cottage! Nice aquarium
among the fern boxes-why didn't
think Of it before?"
Gilfadden tramped into the store
and when he emerged he was tenderly
encircling with one arm a globular
parcel. It was large glass globe con.
tanning eight goldfish. The young per.
son who had waited on him had large
and melting eyes and her gaze had 80
bewildered Gilfadden that he accepted
what she gave him with no question.
She had murmured something about
our best people never carrying a bowl
of goldfish with a wooden handle, so
he had meekly taken his slippery bur.
den under his arm.
Everybody bumped into that extend
ed elbow and whenever there came a
bump there was a splash and some
Of the water in the bowl jumped out.
The young person had explained that
the top of the bowl must remain un-
covered to give the fish air. When
Gilfadden reached the dock so much
water had splashed out that he hast
ened to the water cooler to replenish
the supply.
Hey" called an elderly man with
Whiskers. You'll kill 'em! Don't you
know that's ice water, an ice water
isn't what goldfish likei Dip 1t up
from the riveri"
With the assistance Of the elderly
philanthropist with whiskers, Gilfad-
den tied string to q tin can and low
cred 1t into the river. His hat blew
OF while he was doing this and he
paid . boy q quarter to fish II out
with a pole. Grimly he watered the
goldfish and again boarded the boat
The attendant at the foot Of the
stairs leading to the upper deck gaEed
suspiciously at Gilfadden's parcel.
Anything aliye?" he demanded
Cant take it to the stateroom!"
mo" fibbed Gilfadden. Just a glass
aquarium I'm carrying over" To ease
his conscience he told himself that
fish die Unexpectedly sometimes and
for all he knew his might be dead as
door nails by this time.
Reaching his stateroom, Gilfadden
set down the bowl carefully and then,
removing his hat, he mopped his brow
and said "Whew!" He had not
imagined that carrying a bowl full
of water would have been such a
strain on his muscles. Then he went
out on deck.
When he came in he was greeted
by a large and angry man who had
the upper berth.
''Wha'd yuh mean" began the large
man fercely as he stuck his head over
the edge Of his bed, by endangering a
respectable mans life with wild ami
mails? ! stepped into that COMPOUNDED
bowl and might have cut myself and
bled to death"
Did you kill my fish," roared Gil
fadden, rushing to his pets.
Il hope so!" snapped the large man.
Nice thing to step on with your bare
foot-a cold, squirmy fish! / could
have the law on you"
You've killed one!" cried Gilfad-
den, holding the corpse up by the tail.
"A perfectly good, innocent little gold
fish! They're imported, I'd have you
know, and that flsh'll cost you so
cents! What right have you to inter
fere with my luggage? It's a peni-
Tertiary otfense-"
Jaw, 90 soak your head" growled
the fat man. "And you whistle for
that so cents, will you?"
He crawled under his covers and
low rumblings Of wrath continued to
emerge. The boat was beginning to
rel unevenly and Gilfadden pre-
pared for bed, with one eye on the
goldfish bowl. It got rougher and at
each pitch water splashed out from
the bowl. Sitting on the edge Of
his berth, Gilfadden took the bowl in
his arms and cuddled It. By easing
the roll he managed to keep most of
the water inside the bowl. Once in
q while there would be q particularly
vicious roll and he would receive
splash Of the liquid against his chest.
When this happened and he said
OUCH" the large man protested and
threatened to call the steward and
have Gilfadden put out as crazy.
All that wretched night Gilfadden
clasped the bowl Of goldfish to his
bosom except when he periodically
re6lled It. When dawn came and he
gazed at his swimming bed, Gilfadden
decided that he might Just as we'll
have turned the goldfish out on the
blankets and let them paddle happily
around while he took a nap.
Red eyed, disheveled and miserable,
Gilfadden disembarked and headed for
his lunch. He slung In his suitcases
and a. he balanced himself and step
M u A. tr-oIr,k.-., 1900, H. -