Year: 1879

Romance of Ouoguewasset.


For the last ten days the ordinarily
peaceful village of Quoguewasset, Long
Island, has been greatly disturbed For
merly the inhabitants of that remote
hamlet enjoyed a feeling of complete Sc
curity. There was not a drunkard, Il
criminal, or disorderly person of any
sort within twenty miles of the village,
ana not man or woman dreamed of
locking door or fastening window at
night. Now, alas a reign of midnight
terror and MONDAY nervousness has be-
gun. Quoguewasset is haunted, not by
a professional or amateur ghost, but by
maddened assistant teacher Of the
Young Ladies Seminary, who goes up
and down with "a club, clamOring for the
blood of "a wicked small boy who, as he
asserts, has betrayed him and wrecked
his earthly happiness.


In the month of last July, among the
infrequent summer tourists who arrived
at Quoguewasset there was a family from
this city, which included among its num-
bers very bright and attractive young
lady. A few days later there also ar
rived MIR. Perkins Smith, the assistant
teacher to whom reference has lust been
made. Mr.. Smith was mild young
man whose life had been passed in the
school-room, and who knew rather less
about field sports than child in arms
who is acquainted only with the mater
nal slipper, and has not yet learned the
use of the rod. Like most mild men,
the assistant teacher was wholly unwill-
ing to confess that he had never shot n
fish, and did not know to which end OF
a gun an artificial fly should be attached
He affected to take an immense interest
in every thing of a fishy, snipey, or gen
orally athletic nature, and ladies who
knew him only as he represented him
self to be, regarded him as u slillful,
brave and enthusiastic sportsman.


such, indeed, was the opinion of the
bright and attractive young lady who
was temporarily staying at Quogue-
wasset, and whose affections the assist
ant teacher was anxious to gain. When
she informed him, Just before leaving
town, that there was perfectly splendid
fishing at Quoguewasset, and that he
ought to run down and try it, he gladly
leaped at the chance of prosecuting his
courtship in n lonely village where there
would be no objectionable young men
with horses. and other unfair devices to
distract the attention of his beloved OBJ
ject. Accordingly, week later Mr..
Smith arrived ut QUoguewasset, osten-
sibly to fish, and chuclIled TO himself as
he thought how completely his bundle OF
tishing-rods, landing-nets, and fish
baskets would blind the young ladies
brothers to the real motive of his visit


Mr.. Smith managed to postpone fol
several day the necessity of pretending
to fish, and devoted his whole time t.
the young lady of his heart When heI
brothers urged him to come out witt
them for days fishing, he declined OF
tho f,lno that M man ,.rbO ,.aoII,~ I,,-,.
the sport ever cared To practice il excep
when alone. The day came, however
when the young lady told him that i
really did not look well for him to com,
down TO Quoguewasset to fish, and ther
to spend every consecutive day on hel
front piazza. " People will talk, yol
know continued the intelligent young
lady, 'and, besides, | am so fond o
trout, and | want you to show the bov
what n splendid fisherman YOU are. :
Mr.. Smith, intoxicated with this sort O
language, assured her that he would o,
fishing the very next morning, ant
would bring her the finest trout to b.
found on Long Island.


There was reputed trout stream II
the neighbOrhoOd, and thither the assist
ant teacher wended his way. His view
of trout-tishing were vague and at tn





fectly eaSy,M he said to himself: ssall
have to do is to drop the hook in tn
water and pull the fish out when the
bite" Excellent as the plan was i
theory, it somehow failed to work. Nj
Smith attached a beautiful fiy TO tn
end of large and bright trolling-spoon
and twined a collection of earth-worm
artistically around the whole, but h
failed To catch any thing but weeds an
the branches of trees He could nc
understand what was the matter wit
the trout. Not only did they refuse t
bite, but when he varied his method {
attack by fishing with Il scoop-net, the
refused to enter it, even when he stirre
up the water with n stick and erie
" "Shoo!" at them. Gradually he bC
came convinced that he would be force
to 90 home without a trout As he pic
tured the disappointment of the youn
lady and the ruin of his reputation aS
fisherman, gloom settled down upo
him, and when at sunset he wended hi
way homeward with his broken rod an
empty basket, he was an unspeakabl
wretched man.


To the despairing Smith then suddenl
appeared casual small boy bearing
basket full of large and beautiful fisl
Hope sprang up in the assistant teacher
heart as the adversary of mankin
whispered to him a wicked but temptin
suggestion. He stopped the small bo
and asked him if the fish were trou
The boy said unheSitatingly that the
were. Mr.. Smith at once bought six ,
the largest fish, and hired the small be
to string them. Then, with a prou
step, he sought the house of his believe
one, and, carelessly handing her the fisl
remarked that he was disappointed


the size of the Quoguewasset trout, an
had thrown away at least so becau
they weighed less than two pounds eac


The young lady looked at him rath,
curiously, and her two brothers, WI
were present, kept an ominous silenc
She asked Mr.. Smith if the fish wel
really trout and if he had caught the
all himself The unhappy man, rus
ing ON his fate, not only answered the,
questions in the affirmative, but d
scribed the tiny little pool in which,
he alleged, he had caught the fsl
When he had fully and completely pc