The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-06-24
EVENING STORY
The Two Founder.
BY DORA NOLAN.

Just below an arched stone bridge
which carries the road over . pebbly
brook the brown waters swirl down
among rocks and, spreading out, form
an ideally deep and foam-flecised
trout pool. 1t looks a fit spot for
yeritable king of trout to hold his
solitary court. and there is tradition
in the immediate countryside that
some years ago a three-pounder was
taken from its waters
1t is this tradition which every year
lures to the bank of the beautiful pool
ardent anglers who vainly hope that
history will repeat itself
Early on a misty morning in April
Young man in mackinaw and soft
hat carving creel and slender bam-
boo rod, came down the highway TO-
ward the pool. a gray roadster stood
on the bridge.
on reaching the first point in the
road from which the brook was visi-
Bile he glanced down, then stood a
moment and watched. Evidently what
he saw was interesting, but also dis
appointing, for he continued on, per-
haps a mile farther, to the banks OF
smaller stream.
The cause of this change in pur-
pose was a slender, girlish figure, clad
in a corduroy sport suit. soft velour
hat of brilliant green, and long
legged rubber boots.
Standing back from the pool, care
fully manipulating a whippy split :
rod, eyes intent on the delicious wris-
ely worm she was skillfully guiding
down the rifle" the fisher girl cid
not see the man who stopped mo-
ment on the road above and then
passed along out of sight.
On the opposite bank of the brook
| stood a large tree, whose 1ow-huns
branches just cleared a backwater.
The slender road whipped, and by
clever cast the girl placed the lure
temptingly IN the shadowy spot. A
sudden jerk en- the line, and il started
off down stream! Quickly the girl
| yielded the slack she held in her left
hand. and the feel hummed.
Then a tense moment, as she care
| fully snubbed the line and held it ten
| tatively taut. With a sudden slight
me vement of her rod she started to
| reel in. At this moment a small
urchin appeared on the bridge above
and stopped to watch. Carefully the
girl played her fish. AS the line
shortened there came a splash and
the flash of a mighty tail.
Gee, but that must be a whopper!"
sang out the small boy excitedly. But
the girl was thinking hard. Not ex-
pecting anything like this, she had
neglected to bring a landing net.
! The strain on the delicate rod was
increasing. 1t bent nearly double. She
did ting only thing she could think of
| in the emergency; walked backward
and literally dragged her catch up the
shelving shore, Fortunately he was
well hooked, and her gear was of the
best
"Oh, gollyl" exclaimed a voice close
beside; but amt he the pippin!"
! The girl looked into the freckled
! face of the small boy. But she was
| too intent on her task to answer.
With uHwinking eyes the urchin
watched her as she vainly tried to ex-
tract the hook. and finally ended by
| borrowing his knife and cutting the
line. with flushed faces the girl and
| the small boy; in the freemasonry of
/ Sportland, examined, admired and ex-
claimed over the speckled beauty,
! Gee! Bet it's big as the one old Pea
body caught here. Goily! I'm going
now and rell him about it," And the
small boy disappeared.
The fish proving too large for the
creel, the girl put 1t in a knapsack
she carried suspended from her
road, unjointing her rod on the way.
seated herself in the gray roadster
| and soon was merely part of a cloud
of dust vanishing in the distance.
The small urchin had slowed down
to a walk when he met the man in
SLOUGH hat and mackinaw returning.
Say, mister" he said, bursting
with Importance, you ought to "a
seen the pippin the lady just caught
in the big pool. This big!" And he
measured at least a yard with his
grimy hands.
THAT p" said the man. "But
you're exaggerating a little, aren't you,
sonny?"
Jest you go there and see it your
self" returned the boy, starting off
again on The run. The man quickened
his pace, but when he reached the
pool no fair angler was in sight.
That evening, seated in the lounge
of his club, the sportsman was relat-
ing the incident to several compan-
ions, who received it with the custom
airy skepticism. One of them laughed.
You didn't fall for tht kids yarn.
did you, Hammond? You know the
small poy's power of exaggeration."
wen, it's an accepted fact around
here that some unusually big trout
| for this part ot~the country have been
taken from the Pebbly Brook pool;
and I've always put lot of faith in
it" Hammond spoke rather louder
than his wont.
A young chap stood in the doorway
At Hammond's words he came for
ward. Il don't know how you heard
about 1t, for when 1 came away she
was lamenting that she had had no
one to talk it over with, but that must
be the trout my sister caught today
1t weighs just an even two pounds to
the hair. I don't know much about
fishing, and care less, but Anne is
bugs over it,
The group turned to him interest
edly, and Hammond asked him sew
eral questions, but the boy seemed
rather bored by them, and gave very
unsatisfa Glory answers I'D give q
good deal to see that fish," exclaime d
Hammond.
The boy frightened considerably
I int
you over the phone, and you can &C
right down. She'll be tickled to pieces
to find one who's interested-ant
then l won't have to go home at 10
! as / promised her"
"pll take up you on that" replied
Hammond.
When Billy Crane did return that
, evening il was considerably after 10