The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-03-25
A Fish Story
But a True One
By LAURA c. BURNHAM

member Of u noble family he had his
full enjoyment of life. He was a tall
boy. strikingly handsome and Il great
~fayOrite. During this period Il love al
fair sprang up between him and Laura.
daughter Of Sir David Hinchelwood.
m ~impecuniOus baronet as proud as he
was poor. Sir David'S main object
in life vas to marry his daughter to II
man who would be able to lift the
family to its condition of former
years. Edward Cotton, being Il
younger son in q family all of whose
property was entailed on the oldest
male heir, must of necessity. as soon
rs he had grown to manhood, shift for
himself.
There was absolutely no hope of his
possessing the girl he loved. When he
was twenty years old he babe her fare
well, being about to sail for Australia.
lie looked the matter squarcly in the
face. but the girl with feminine faith
would not admit but that something
would happen to turn their present
condition.
That's the lOveliest thing about a
girl" said the lover; shes IN Optimist
IN the very face of calamity
Cotton Went to Australia more t.
break away from associations that
would thereafter be impossible for
him than the hope Of making 4 for
tune. He had not inherited business
instincts and had no taste for 4 bust
ness life. He found Il position in the
counting room Of Il wool merchant
named Oldershaw, but did not retain
it long. Building himself Il hut beside
the ocean. he contented himself with
Il small remittance sent hin quarterly
by his father. He was naturally fond
pf fishing and supplied his table with
fish caught in the ocean.
Cotton went to Australia in 1868.
One day while out for large fish he
caught Il shark on his line. There was
something in the fish that he needed
possibly a little oil for his lamp. At
any rate. he cut it up. A number Of
articles u~ndigested were in the stom-
ach, among them q folded newspaper.
which. though soaked. left the inner
sheets in tolerable condition. Quite
likely it had been thrown from some
ship the shark was following for food
and picked up by the voracious fish.
Cotton took it to his hut and spread it
out before a fire to dry. In the even
ing after his supper he took up what
there was of it to read. and the first
! Ian It,Nns chat ,,nf HE nt-nG yypG
France Declares War on Germany"
There were two important facts con-
corning this first news in Australia Of
the breaking out Of the FrancO-Prus-
sian war. First. there was then no
cable connecting the island with the
mainland: secondly. the shark is n
very swift swimmer. Cotton had not
heard of the breaking out of the wal
and did not believe such news had
reached Australia. He sat thinking
about the matter in his cabin. and 1t
occurred TO him from his knowledge OF
The wool business that n European
war would advance the price Of WOO.
Early the next morning he went into
the city, saw Oldershaw and told him
that an important event had occurred
that would affect the price of wool.
Oldershaw agreed that if Cotton would
tell him what it was he (O~ldershaw)
would give him half the profit on any
wool he bought or sold on account of
it. Cotton then produced his news
paper.
Wool was selling at Is cents q pound,
and Oldershaw bought all there was at
hand. He had scarcely completed his
purchases before Il ship came in with
the news Of the declaration Of war be-
tween France and Germany.
The wool that Oldershaw had bought
in pence he sold in shillingS. He made
Il fortune for himself and one for Cot
ton. The war was of short duration,
and fortunately the wool was sold
near the highest point. Cotton receiv-
ed his profits within a few months
after he had caught the shark that
had brought him his luck and a few
days later sailed for England.
He found his love still disensaged.
but resisting her fathers efforts to in
luce her to marry the son Of q rich
brewer. There had been no news re-
ceived in England of Cotton having
suddenly made a fortune. and when he
appeared no one dreamed that he was
Il very wealthy man. He refrained
from telling of his wealth. fearing that
his explanation as TO how he had ac-
quired it would not be believed.
Laura Hinchelwood was delighted
with his return, though she had no
idea that 1t meant any change in their
relationship. When Cotton told his
fish story she thought that something
had happened TO turn his brain. but
when he showed her his bank account
as evidence she was staggered. At
last he induced her to believe that he
was really rich and had made his
, money by this streak OF sheer luck.
Having convinced her. he was not
afraid Of any one else. Sir David
Hinchelwood when he was assured of
the truth. having found the fortune he
was looking for. was nothing loath to
give his daughter to the young man.
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