Year: 1870

no right on. The only excuse was like
that of q military necessity--it was far
better fishing through the farms where
the trout had been preserved, than in
open lots where all could fish,


It was early in the morning. We had
risen at three, ridden ten miles and struck
the creek as the trout were ready for
breakfast. Looking carefully for shell
tered place to hitch our horses we slyly
crept on behind fences, etc till we reach
ed the part of the stream not generally
fished. A farm house stood not quarter
of mile away. We saw the morning
smoke curling lightly from stove pipe;
saw man and two boys come out to do
chores; saw woman busy about the
door, and ferocious ull-dog wandering
about the yard.


Ifever we fished close it was then. Not
a whisper to disturb the birds or the own
ers of the land We crawled through the
grass and lodged behind clumps of alders,
lifting large speckled beauties out OF the
water until our baskets were full u


This was the time to have gone; but
the trout were so large and bit so readily
that we decided to string and hide what
we had, and take another basketful. So
at it we went. No sooner would the
hook touch the water than it had a trout.
We forgot the house, the man, the boys
and the dog. Suddenly there was rush
ing through an oat-feld as if mad bull
was coming. We looked toward the
house, and saw the farmer and his two
boys on fence, the woman in the door,
and the dog bounding towards us. We
saw it alive had been discovered The
well-trained dog had been sent to hunt us
out, and, as the matter appeared, it was
safe to bet that he was doing that thing
right lively.


To outrun the dog was not to be
thought Of There was no time to lose.
He cleared fence and came for us, just
as we reached a tree, and by great activi
ty took front seat on limb above his
reach Here was precious gol Avicious
bulldog under the tree, and the farm
er and two big boys ready to move down
upon our works. 1t was fight, foot-race,
or fangs.


The farmer yelled to bis dog, watch
him, Tiger


Tige proposed to do that little thing,
and keeping his eyes upon us, seated
himself under the tree.


Then spoke this ugly farmer man :
Just hold on thar, stranger, till we get
breakfast then we will come and see
y ,
you can go nowl Watch him, Tige"


We surmised trouble; quite too much,
for thrice had that bold man of bulldogs
and agriculture elegantly walloped inno-
cent tourists for being seen on his subur-
ban premises His reputation as peace
man was not good, and there arose large
heart toward our throat.


Time is the essence of contracts, and
the saving ordinance Of those in trouble.
We had a stout line in our pocket, and a
large hook intended for rock bass, if we
failed to take trout. And as good luck
would have it we had got a nice sand
witch and piece of boiled corn beef in
our other pocket.


We called the dog pet names, but it
was no go! Then we tried to move
down, when he moved upl At last we
trebled our bass line, fastened the linn
.erick to it, baited it with the corn beef,
tied the end of the line to limb, and
angled for a dog


Tige was in appetite. He swallowed it,
and sat with his eyes on us for more but
with no friendly look beaming from his
countenance. Not any!


Then he pulled gently on the line-it
was fast Tige yanked and pulled, but
twas of no use!


We quickly slid down the tree-almost
= blistering our back doing it-seized our
pole, and straightway went thence some
what lively. s1


We found our string of fish, and reach
ed the buggy and commanding spot in
the road in time to see the sturdy yeoman
move forth


We saw him and his cohorts, male and
female, move slowly, as if in no haste.
We saw them look up the tree. We saw
an anxious crowd engaged about the dog.
We came quickly home and kindly left
the bass line and hook to the farmer