generous in his banterings, and has many times since 

 laughingly prodded me in his good-natured way about 

 having saved me from the eagle." 



STIPES' DOG. 



There lived in the ancient and historical town of 

 Harpers Ferry a Mr. Stipes, who caught more fish 

 and knew more men who could and who could not 

 fish than any other boatman in the country. Mr. 

 Stipes related to the writer an incident which he 

 vouched for as correct, but be that as it may, it is 

 interesting. He said that he owned a very nice little 

 water dog, and on one occasion while trying his luck 

 in the Shenandoah, it occurred to him that a dog 

 might be made to fish. Fastening a short line, with 

 sinker and bait, to the dog's tail, he baited the hook, 

 tossed a stick into the middle of the stream, and the 

 dog true to his nature, swam out for the floating 

 stick. It was then a large fish grabbed the bait 

 which was floating suspended from the dog's appen- 

 dage, and the animal successfully swam shore and 

 landed a two pound bass. The dog, he said, was 

 drowned afterwards while making a similar experi- 

 ment. 



THERE WAS NO HOLE. 



My son began to doubt the value of fish stories 

 as they grew more doubtful, but his confidence was 

 most forcibly shaken after a friend had related the 

 incidents attending the catching of a tarpon in 

 Florida, which he said weighed 256 pounds. "Yes," 

 said the relater, "All of my many listeners on the 

 hotel plaza scouted the truth of my statement on 

 the day of the catch, and strange to say would have 

 no faith in me whatever, when I invited them down 



