The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-12-21
THE
SKYLINE
SPRUCE
bp Gibson MARSHALL
bV CdlSOn AQlolllIE
GpQQ -Lisi a pruwn Z olpnpAnY

stream was not at all like tho famous
salmon rivers known 90 sportsmen.
In years 70 come. when tho lines Of
communication arc better and tourist
hotels nre established ON ita banks.
the river may then begin TO conform
10 the qualifications Of convention
al fishing stream. and then nen's
crude tackle win be unavaliing. but
at present the salmon we're not 80
particular. As fishermen came hut
rarely. the fish were In countless
numbers. and In such a galaxy there
were bound 10 be few misguided
fish that did not know n sportsman'n
tackle from a duh's.
Tho Joy of angling. once known,
dwolls In tho body until death. and
hen was a born fisherman. The old
delight that can never die crept back
Go him the instant he felt the clumsy
rod In his hands and tho faint throb
OF the line thru tho delicate m.chan-
Ism OF his nerves And apparently
for no other reason than that the
river hordes wished TO welcome him
home. almost az once a gigantic bun
salmon took his spoon.
Exram's first knowledge Of n was
Wild yell that almost startled him
over tho stds-the same violent out
cry that old anglers stu can not re-
strain when the fish takes hold. even
after a lifetime Of angling. when
he recovered himself he looked 10 see
hen knecling fran,icaily in the stern.
hanging for DEAF iifc TO his rod and
seemingly In grave danger OF being
pulled overheard.
No man who has felt that first.
overpowering Jolt OF striking sal
mon can question the rapture OF that
frs, moment Tho Jolt carried thru
all the tntricacics of tho nerves,
Jared the soul within the man. and
seemingly registered In the germ
plasm itself an impression that could
b. recalled. In dreams. 10 generations
hence. Fortunately tho pole with
stood that FIRST frantic rush. and
then things began TO happen In car
nest.
The great trout seemed 10 dance on
the surface OF tho water. He tuEgcd.
he swan In frantic circles. he Topped
and darted and suiked and rushed
and ieaped II he hadn't been 80
eureiy hooked. aud 10 I, had not been
for skin earned IN a hundred such
battles. Hen would not have held
| him a moment.
1 But the time came at last. amer a
sublime haif-hour. when hir steam
began 70 die. Hts rushes were less
powerful. and often no hung like n
dead weight on the line. Slowly Hon
worked him IN. not daring 10 believe
that ne was conauerinE. willing 10
sell his soul FOR the privilege Of SEQ
ing the great fish safe IN the boat
His eye. protruded. Precipitation
cleaned on hts brow. he talked fool
ishiy and incessantiy 10 Erram. the
fish. the river-Gods. and himself.
Exram. something OF an old Isaac
Walton himself. managed the canoe
with unusual dexferity and chuckied
In the contagion OF Ben's delight
And lo--in . moment more the thing
was dona
You'd think you never had . rod
IN your hand before Exran com
mented IN mock dsssuss- -such hol-
ierin' and whoopin' never heard"
Hen erinned widely. That's FISH
inE--the sport that keeps a man m
amateur all his days--wifh an ana
tours delight His vivid smile quiv-
cred at his lips and was still. That's
why 7 love tho North. !, can never.
never grow old. You're Just as ex-
cited at the close as at the begin
ming. Exram. old man. IT'S nfei-
Exram nodded. Perhaps. IN the
moments fire. Ben had touched et
the truth Perhaps life. In It's fullest
sense. Il something more than being
born. breathing air. consuming food.
and moving the lips In speech Lfs
Il q thing that wilderness creatures
know. realized only when the blood.
ieapfnR red. sweep. away iIfcie~s and
palsied tissue and builds q more sen-
tient structure In It's place: Invoked
by such forces a. adventure and dan
ger and battle and triumph. For the
past half-hour ben had lived in the
fullest sense. and Ezram was = little
touched by the look Of unspeakable
gratitude with which his young COM
panion regarded him.
But thu journey ended n last.
They saw the white peak they had
been told 20 watch for. and soon
after they came TO a green bank
from which the forest had been cut
away. Softly. rather regretfully.
they pushed up and made landing
on this banks OF . small stream.
tributary 20 the great river. that
marked the end Of the water route.