THE NET WITH NO BOTTOM. 

 JOHN AND THE LAWYER. 



On one occasion T. Walter Fowler and several 

 gentlemen were fishing and the elder of them was 

 desirous of trying one of his inventions in the form 

 of a net for keeping fish alive. This net was of tubular 

 form and about three feet long, with a draw string at 

 the bottom and a wide mouth held open by a ring. 

 The catch that day was above the average and some 

 good fish were taken; and as soon as removed from 

 the hook the fish were dropped into the open mouth 

 of the net, which was hung over the side of the boat 

 and was all submerged except the upper end. When 

 the day's sport was over and the boat put to shore, 

 the net was lifted from the water when to the amaze- 

 ment of both men not a fish was to be found. The 

 explanation for this was apparent when it was found 

 that the old gentleman had forgotten to close the lower 

 end of his trap net when he put it overboard, and 

 censequently as he put his fish into the top end they 

 at once passed out at the bottom; and it is still a 

 mooted question whether the fish caught that day 

 represented a number of fish, or the same fish caught 

 a number of times. What was said when the empty 

 net was lifted from the water was more forcible than 

 delicate and should not be repeated. 



The trials of a fisherman are many and varied, 

 and was it not for the particular pleasure of antici- 

 pation" the sport would lose some of its most ardent 

 admirers. Then again it is often the case that the 

 trials do not come singly. An instance of this is 

 well remembered by a party of adherents of Izaak 



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