Omaha daily bee., 1918-05-05
Thrilling.
Moments
Of Life
Some Fish Story.

" ou ask me tor my most tnrliling
moment and it does not take me a
moment to remember just what
and when it was" said Ford
Burlingim, former manager OF the
Merchants hotel. ITO be yanked out
of boat by an ordinary fish may not
seem to some people to be- much OF
thriller but it thrilled my marrows
until l still shudder when l think
of it.
Twas a couple of years ago when
with guide and Herman Peters ]
was fishing in Big Sand lake, near
Webster, Wis, just opposite the
Hobby. We had been having pretty
good luck, especially Peters with that
long whip OF his, with which he can
throw a lure mile, and ! had not
been doing very we'll when l changed
bait. That did the business.
Big Joe, the Indian guide, had just
rowed US OUT of some weeds and into
clear water when it happened. I got
a strike. II was some strike and |
started to reel in. The big fellow
started for me and l kept reeling until
he was alongside and way down.
Then he plunged under the boat and
took me into the water with him. l
did not want to be lonesome in that
water so | just naturally upset the
boat as | vent overheard and took
Peters and The guide in with me.
"Peters and Joe stuck by the boat
and soon had it righted, but / had to
tend to that fish. as I did not intend
to let him escape.
Finally | reeled the fish right up
to me and then jumped on his back
and steered him until he had taken
me ashore"
Peters vouches for this tale.
Ruff's Close Call.
"The greatest thrill of my life"
said "Blondy" Ruff, county clerk of
Sarpy county, "was when / attempted
to cross the Pappio creek during the
cloudburst the night of June S, last
year." The history of that night will
be told for many years by the resi-
dents of Papillion. The treacherous
little creek which runs through the
heart of the town rose during the
terrific downpour of rain and many
lives were endangered. Mrs. Walter
Voss and three small children were
imprisoned in the German Settlement
home on the bank of the creek and
the mad rush of water swirled around
it, threatening to carry it down stream
any minute. /"Blondy" heard the
cries of the children and started to
swim across the current to the house.
The rush of the water was too swift
for him and he was swept down
stream, but managed to keep his
head above the water. Finally his
feet caught in the wheel of big
grader and he caught hold of a tree,
whose top branches protruded from
the water. He hung to the tree until
his arms lost their grip and then he
cluns by his teeth, while he unfast-
ented his belt and strapped his hands
to the branch. Then he lost con-
sciousness. He was in the water for
nearly four hours before he was
rescued.
Men assembled on the bank of the
creek and stared, panic-s stricken, at
the man in the middle of the stream.
1t was impossible to reach him.
There were no boats in Papillion.
Trucks fastened to Gretna over 10
miles of muddy rain-swept roads and
returned with a boat, which proved
to be nothing but toy when the men
tried to cross the stream in it. The
waves dashed it around and the men
saw it would be suicide to attempt to
cross the stream in it.
At last one man shouted:
II have it-a chain-a human
chain"
The plan was hazardous, but it was
all that remained and volunteers
quickly formed themselves into a
chain of men and struck out to save
their comrade. They were successful
and brought him to the bank. His
clothes had been whipped from him
and he was unconscious, but the men
had been in time to save his life.
Scott's First Smoke.
Cinnamon cigars were the direct
cause of thrilling period of anxiety,
coupled with keen sense of remorse,
in the life of Sam W. Scott. Sam was
born in Chester, Pa, during the
year-well, it was the year before
circuses began to travel in railroad
trains. It had been their custom to go
by wagon road, and the boys of the
town used to 60 far out into the coun-
try to meet the approaching caval-
cade, assume complete control of a
lurid banner and march into town,
member of the circus. For this pleas
urable task they received fabulous
sum and free ticket to the big top.
"Barnum's circus was the attraction,
and Joe Hunter, my chum, and"1 were
waiting on the road for that banner
shortly after sunup, and we made our
annual triumphant march into Chester
with bands playing and flags flying.
But, alas, fame is liable to turn the
heads of even the great, and we felt
called upon to purchase some Gin
namon cigars to properly COM
memorate the day. This debauchery
proved our undoing. l became deathly
/, sick, and even the circus lost its at
tractiveness in my eyes. Llay on the
| grassy plot near the railfoad tracks
and suffered the pains of the wicked.
Intermittent groans from my chum
at my side told me that misery had
company. When ! arrived hone, my
mother inquired kindly how | had en-
joyed the circus. groped blindly for
an answer and finally admitted that
had not been there. When asked the
reason for my sudden illness, / ex-
planned Too oImany cinnamon rolls
The suspense and anxiety of that mo-
ment will always live in my memory"
pronounced conviction that great
service can be rendered by one who
can act and vote as if he would never