Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-01-03
A Fish Story
But a True One
BY LAURA c. BURNAAM

AASAdbei VI uoDle ldunliy ne nau MS
full enjoyment of life, He was a tall
boy, strikingly handsome and a great
favortt6, During this period "a love af-
fair sprang up between him and Laura,
daughter of Sir David Hinchelwood.
an inpecunious baronet as proud as he
was poor. Sir David's main object
in life was to marry his daughter to a
man who would be able to lift the
family to its condition of former
years. Edward Cotton. being a
younger son in a family all Of whose
( property was entailed on the Oldest
male heir must of necessity, as soon
as 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
He 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; she's an optimist
In the very face of calamity"
Cotton went to Australia more to
break away from associations that
would thereafter he impossible for
him than the hope of making a for
tune, He Ind not inherited business
instincts ard had no taste for a husi-
ness life. Tie found a position in the
counting room of n wool merchant
named OldershaW. but did not retain
it Ions. Building himself a hut beside
I the ocean, hc contcuted himself with
a small remittance sent him quarterly
by his father He was naturally fum
OF fishing ana supplied his table with
fish caught in the ocean
Cotton went to Australia i'm 1865
One day while out for large fish he
caught IA 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 4 number Of
articles undigestcd were in the stom-
| ach among them q folded newspaper.
which. though soaked left the inner
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 fire to dry. In the even.
ing after his supper he took up what
there was of it to read, and the first
/ heading that met his eyes was.
France Declares War on Germany"
There We're 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 a
/ very swift swimmer Cotton had not
/ heard of the breaking out Of the war
/ and did not believe such news had
/ reached Australia. He sat thinking
I about the matter i'm his cabin. and il
I occurred to him from his knowledge Of
I the wool business that 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
Oldershav agreed that if Cotton would
tell him what il was he O'dershaw4
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 Il pound.
and Oldershaw bought an there was at
hand lie had scarcely completed his
/ purchases before ship came in with
the news of the declaration of war be.
tween France ana Germany
The wool that OidershaW had bought
in peHce he sold in sliilines. He made
a fortune for himself and one for Cot
ton The war was OF short duration
ana fortunately the wool Was SOLD
near the highest point Cotton receIy-
Cd his profits within Il few months
after he had caught the shark that
had brought him his luck and few
days later sailed for England
He found his love still discouraged.
but resisting her fathers efforts to in
duce her to marry the SON Of a rich
/ brewer 1Htit NAN bctit hy News l'.
ceived in England Of Cotton having
suddenly made fortune and when he
appeared no one dreamed that he was
a very wealthy man lie refraiucl
from telling Of his wealth fearing that
his explanation rs 10 how be had ac-
guired it would not be believed.
Laura Hinchelwood was delighted
with his return though she had no
idea that it meant any change IN their
relationship when Cotton told his
fish story she thought that something
had happened 10 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 bg this streak of sheer tuck
Having convinced her be was not
afraid " ans one else Sir David
Hiuchelwood when ne was assured of
the truth having found the fortune he
was booking far. was notha2 Io4th to
give his daughter 10 the y1uag man.