Amiv i6, 1898,] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
311 
thing in the way of my becoming a true sportsman was 
my high moral character. So he set about removing 
that hindrance, lie did it in this way. He repeated my 
stories with embellishments of his own, and credited the 
wliole to me. For example: Tom Crow and I were fish- 
ing in Ink Bayou one dfty for pike. I had a float on my 
line to prevent being snagged on the bottom. We were 
standing on a log in the center of the stream. I made 
an unsuccessful cast and was just drawing back :whcn a 
big pike leaped out of the water at my float, and cut my 
line off above the float as clean as if it had been done 
with a pair of scissors. "Tom," said I, "did you see 
that?" "Yes."' "Well, don't you tell anybody, for if you 
x\o I shall have to corroborate it, and it will be as much 
as my reputation is worth." But he could not resist the 
temptation. He told the lawyer, and he reported that 1 
had said that that pike had jumped out of the water and 
bit the end of my steel rod oft". 
At another time I was fishing on the upper White 
River. Standing ,on a log about loft. above th^ 
water I made a cast at a shady pool under a big cotton- 
wood tree. The minnow fell on a root of the tree just 
at the edge of the pool. A 31b. bass leaped at it 
and took it off that root. I told it in camp that night. 
When I got back to town 1 heard it reported that I had 
said that a bass had jumped up on a log ten feet out of 
the water and taken my hook. Could any man's reputa- 
tion stand such a strain as that? 
But it was a brother preacher who gave the final blow 
to my reputation and disgraced me publicly. He lived 
then in Kentucky, the land of Joe Mulhatton. 1 will call 
him the Rev. Mr. Buck. I do not give his real name, 
because he, like myself, has removed to a new field of la- 
bor, and I do not wish to do anything to hinder him in 
retrieving his lost reputation. His name is not Buck, 
but it is synonymous with Buck. He is a worthy son of 
Kentucky. (1 mean no reflection on Kentucky, for 1 
myself am a Kentuckian.) He has very decided talents 
as a novelist. We were talking of cold weather one day 
in camp and he remarked he had seen the thermometer 
36 degrees below zero for six weeks in Kentucky. At 
another time he stated that he had seen a beech tree in 
.Kentucky which had Daniel Boone's name cut on the 
heart of it. Boone had cut it on the bark when it was a 
youno" tree, and the tree had grown up around it. I was 
told that he used the same story in a sermon as an illus- 
tration of how outward influences affect the inner char- 
acter, onljf I believe it was a watermelon that time in- 
stead of a beech tree. Well, brother Buck visited me one 
summer in Arkansas. He preached a good sermon for 
me one Sundaj'^, the subject of which was, I believe. 
Lot's reputation for veracity. On Monday, Dr. G., a 
crony of mine, and I took him fishing. On the way 
home, we passed a celebrated shooting point, where the 
ducks crossed at dusk from their feeding ground to their 
roost. "Buck," said the Doctor, "do you see those two 
trees there? Well, 1 suppose there have been a million 
shots fired at ducks between those two trees." "Doctor, 
that's bigger than any of my yarns." "Well, Buck," 
said I, "they have been shooting there for fiftj- years, and 
a great many shots have been fired." 
That was all that passed. Buck went home. Mean- 
while I heard it reported on good authority that he told 
somebod}' in Kentucky he had ridden 150 miles with me 
on a bicycle while in Arkansas in one day. I had never 
been out with him at all on a bicycle. The next year he 
was invited to deliver the address before the alumni at 
the commencement of a certain college in Tennessee. As 
an alumnus of the institution and a member of the Board 
of Directors, I was to sit on the platform with him and 
open the meeting. As we were going up the steps. I 
said, "Buck, what about that bicycle ^^arn of yours, that 
you rode 150 miles in one day with me?" He got out of 
it by saying that it had happened in Texas with a man 
whose name was similar to mine. But he stuck to the 
150 miles in one day. He announced as the subject of 
his address, "Exaggeration." 1 was struck with the sub- 
ject, as 1 thought it one which he was remarkably com- 
petent to treat. I expected him to give some examples, 
but I had no idea of what was coming. "Ladies and gen- 
tlemen," he said, "you have no idea how common exag- 
geration is. It is a habit into which even good men may 
fall, especially if they are sportsmen. Now, here is my 
friend from Arkansas. I believe he is a good man, and, 
ordinarily, a truthful man. But when I was with him in 
Arkansas last summer, he pointed out two trees to me 
and said, 'Buck, do you see those two trees? Well, I 
suppose I have killed a million ducks between those two 
trees.'" It brought down the house. It leaked out in 
Arkansas. My lawyer friend eagerly seized upon it, 
and helped to circulate the story. When I left my 
charge, he wanted my church to call Mr. Buck on the 
strength of that story. But it gave the final blow to my 
reputation. This is the simple truthful story of how I 
lost my reputation for veracity. Now, brethren of the 
clergy and of the rod, hear the conclusion of my sermon. 
If you want to keep your reputation for veracity, you 
must not only always tell the truth, but a probable truth. 
And the second rule is, keep out of bad company. Law- 
■yers, doctors, and even some preachers are not always 
safe company for a truthful man. But a much safer rule 
than either of these is this. Don't go fishing. 
" ■ NiMROD Walton. 
Little Rock, Ark., April 4, iSgS— Editor Forest and 
Stream: The above relation was written evidently by our 
lamented sportsman parson and published in the North 
Carolina Presbyterian, and which seems to me too good 
to be sandwiched between articles on predestination and 
editorials on the beauties of eternal damnation. 
Without being unpardonably conceited, I think I may 
claim to be the "friend, a lawyer, a sportsman with some 
talent for fiction," therein referred to. 
There are others in my profession. I only say that I 
consider it unprofessional to lie unless I am paid for it, 
and that I am not much of a fish liar on general princi- 
ples. But I do deny that I ruined the Parson's charac- 
ter, and submit that his own statement of his fish stories 
Would ruin the character of Moses, St. Jerome or St. 
Paul, to say nothing of Calvin and the latter-day saints. 
But the Parson did not tell all that ruined liis charac- 
ter. My mother and Mrs. Green are next-door neigh- 
bors and pillars of his sanctliary. The mater had been 
away all summer, and upon her return Mrs. Green came 
over, and they got to discussing church matters. Says 
the mater to Mr. Walton (which is not his name, but I 
do not desire to spoil his usefulness), "Did the Parson 
preach for you all summer?" Says Mrs. Green, "Yes; 
all except oUe Sunday, when he went fishing." 
I was not with the Parson that particular Sunday, and 
I cannot say whether he went fishing that day or not. 
But I have known Mrs. Green for thirty years, and I am 
satisfied she never told a lie in her life. I am not so sure 
about the Parson. Again, we were building a club house 
at Grassy Lake, and the President, Secretary and Par- 
son went up to see how matters progressed. It was hot, 
the house was not done and they had to put up with the 
best accomuTodations Mr. Retz, the German contractor, 
could furnish them. The mosquitoes were large, healthy 
and voracious. While the Parson doped himself with 
kerosene Retz turned the air a pale azure that left a smell 
of sulphur in the vicinity. At daybreak the President and 
Parson went squirrel hunting, while the Secretary 
stayed to help Retz get breakfast. While cookin.g it he 
said, "Retz, you ouglit not to swear that way, for one of 
those men is a preacher, and he does not like it." Retz: 
"Which is a breacher?" Secretary. "The little one 
with the light mustache." Retz: "Get out mit you; 
didn't I hear him say last night, 'Dash blank these mos- 
quitoes to blank!' " 
The Secretary, the same doctor that told about tlie 
million shots at ducks, is responsible for that story. I 
was not there, and personally I never heard the Parson 
wish an objectionable individual further away than Lit- 
tle Rock, which he may have considered synonymous. 
I could add other instances, but space forbids. So he 
went downwards and his character got worse and worse, 
till even the ewe lambs of his flock, who generally wor- 
ship their pastor, began to damn him Avith faint praise, 
such as: 
"Brother Walton is a good man, but he does tell aw- 
ful fish stories," or "Brother Walton is a good man, but 
he does go with an awful tough crowd." 
And finally the climax was reached when on the 
strength of that buffalo story he was publicly installed as 
Champion Liar of the Arkansas Association of Fish and 
Game Liars, and 1 had the honor to present the elegant 
medal, with appropriate resolutions and remarks. And 
the Parson responded with another lot' of stories that 
debarred any other from ever claiming it.- 
And so, his usefulness being utterly destroyed by his 
own fish stories, he left us, regretted by none so much 
as by the ptiblicans and sinners, with whom, like his illus- 
trious Master, he most associated. J. M. Rose. 
New England Fishing. 
Boston, April 9.— Early trout fishing has received a 
decided setback by the cold weather. Every night since 
the season opened the mercury hereabouts has been be- 
low freezing, and in every pond and stream in Massachu- 
setts ice has formed since the second day of the month. 
Besides nearly 4in. of snow has fallen, melted, and 
swollen the streams with snow and ice water. For such 
reasons the early trout fishermen have generally stayed 
at home, some of them visiting the tackle shops daily 
to talk the matter over and "swap yarns" with each 
other concerning what they did last year, and what they 
will do as soon as pleasant weather comes. On the 
opening day a party of Boston sportsmen visited the 
Chamberlayne Brook, or privilege controlled by that 
gentleman, and in a couple of days' fishing are reported 
to have taken sixty trout. This brook Avas leased last 
year by E. H. Wakefield, Jr., a well-known lover of the 
rod and reel, and visited by himself and friends several 
times, with more or less of success. The brook is in the 
neighborhood of Bourne, on the Cape. Mr. Chamber- 
layne leases it every year, but generally reserves the right 
to take a party of friends there at the opening of the 
season. Leominster fishermen are reported to have 
brought in some good catches the opening da\^ from 
State and Barker brooks in and near that town, but the 
cold weather has since stopped about all fishing. 
Some of the best known fishermen are looking for 
the ice to leave Sebago Lake and Lake Auburn, Me., and 
Newfound Lake and Dan Hole Pond. N. H. 
Their landlocked salmon tackle is all ready, but the cold 
weather has actually put the ice at worse than a stand- 
stifl, for it has been freezing nearly every night, and 
may not go out for a week, though all ready to go a 
week ago. On the i6th R. O. Harding will have in 
charge the following party of anglers, for Newfound 
Lake: Edward B rooks, E. H. W^akefield, Jr., Georn-e 
D. Pushee and J. Otis Wardwell and son. At the lake 
they will be joined by the New Hampshire Fish Com- 
missioners, Messrs. Nathaniel Wentworth and F. L. 
Hughes. The party will stop over the 19th, which is a 
legal holiday in this State. If several fine salmon are 
not brought out it will not be because they are not 
lured by both patient and expert anglers. 
The Sportsmen's ShoAv has resulted in many little 
episodes of good feeling between guides and visitors, 
especially sportsmen, and is likely to result in many 
more. Mr. Frank F. Dodge met a former guide there. 
A. B. Douglass, of Kibby Valley, Me., fame. Mr. 
Dodge took Mr. Douglass to the rooms of the Boston 
Athletic Club, where the latter was greatly interested. 
The other day Mr. Dodge received a letter from Mr. 
Douglass stating that he had sent the club "a specimen," 
a bear. At the time of this writing Mr. Dodge is much 
interested as to whether the bear is a live one or a 
harmless piece of work from the shop of some taxider- 
mist. _ The letter does not state, but in either case the 
"specimen" will be well taken care of when it arrives. 
Boston, April 11.— The weather has changed for the 
better, and sportsmen with rod and reel are improving 
it. Two or three parties left Boston for the Cape Satur- 
day. They go to controlled brooks and privileges mostly, 
and have but little to say as to the exact location. Two 
parties went to a brook on the line of the New York, 
New Haven and Hartford Railroad, near Moulton Sta- 
tion, Conn., on the same day. This brook, controlled 
by Boston sportsmen, is said to be a natural trout 
stream. Considerable restocking has been done, and 
trout _8in. in length have been grown in one year. The 
proprietors of the brook have about 12,000 tsrout in their 
troughs, of different sizes. There are two ponds in con- 
nection with tite- bftiok, into which tlie trout are turned!' 
as they grow larger. The owners will be there "^IteiU 
this summer. 
■ Sebago Lake, in Maine, is about clear of ice, and will! 
doubtlc.ss be entirely clear by the time this catches the- 
eye of the reader. Landlocked salmon fishiTig has started!, 
in good earnest. Two Auburn, Me., fishermen are re- 
ported to have taken thirteen salmon from Sebago Up 
to Saturday night, the largest weighing itj/jlbs, and the 
next largest 9>i|lbs, A number of Portland, Me., fisher- 
nun are also at the lake, and having fair success. Lalce 
Auburn, Me., is no.t y-et clear of ice. It usually clears a 
few days later than Sebago. The local salmon fishermen: 
are waiting patiently. Late reports from the Rangeley 
trout waters suggest an early clearing of the ice, but 
after all much will depend ujjon the weather, 
Boston, April jj. — ^A special to the Herald this morii- 
ing says that the ice is out of Sebago Lake, Me., and 
fishing is good. Four Bostonians have been at the lake' 
five days, and have caught I40ibs. of salmon. They left 
for home Sunday evening with fourteen large fish. At 
Kettle Cove, on the east side, and at the outlet of Crook- 
ed and Muddy rivers the fishing is excellent. A party 
of Portland fishermen spent Sunday at the lake with 
good catches, caught Saturday night (?) before 12 
o'clock. . The steamers of the Sebago Lake and Songo 
River Steamboat Co. are to be run in close connection 
with trains from Portland. Special. 
CHICAGO AND THE WEST. 
Rod and Reel. 
Chicago, 111., April 7. — The Milwaukee Rod and Reel 
Club have elected the following permanent officers: Pres- 
ident, John P. Murphy; Vice-President, Francis Blood- 
good, Jr.; Secretary and Treasurer, Henry C. Reed; Di- 
rectors,- Benjamin M. Weil, William E. Furlong, John 
good, Jr.; Secretary and Treasurer, Henry C. Reed; Di- 
Thc club will possibly hold a casting tommament tl-iis 
summer, and it is expected that it will send a good dele- 
gation to the fly-casting tournament at Grand Rapids, 
Mich., next June. The Milwaukee men are giving the 
new club a very good membership. 
Effective, 
Last winter Forest anc Stream printed in these col- 
umns the story of the long-continued violations of the 
fish and game laws along the Rock River, of Illinois. 
Then came the story of the organization of the strong 
protective body at Rockford, with its large membership 
and its definite purpose of stopping the illegal work 
along this stream. To-day, less than two months aftef 
this body was first organized, con-ies the news that the 
illegal seining and spearing has been practically stoppe.d 
already, so vigorous has been the campaign of reform. 
This shows a fact often overlooked by sportsmen. It is 
easy to do a thing if you go and do it, and don't sit dovv'U 
and talk about it, and expect it to do itself. 
Cleaning the Calumet, 
Deputy Earle, of Ii-idiana, has been working for a 
while along the Little Calumet River, just across the 
State line, and has now about cleaned out the nets On 
that stream and the Deep River. He has taken oUt 
T.oooft. of seines and about 100 other nets. The extent 
of the petty fisheries here may be seen when it is known 
that about three tons of fish are shipped weekly from 
the markets of Hammond and Hobart, Ind. These 
streams were once very good angling waters. Most of 
the fish shipped now are carp. 
Xhe Season. 
CincAGO, III., April 9. — Everything points to an early 
fishing season this year. Friday of next week will open 
the trout season in Wisconsin, and there -vvill 
be a goodly number of Chicago anglers who will 
ea.gerly hurry up to take part in the inaugural proceed- 
ings. _ Very lightly, we are not allowed to take bass 
in Wisconsin until May 25, nor indeed should they be 
taken in Illinois or Indiana until after the spawning sea- 
son. It is likely, however, that this season will be earlier 
than common this year, and I have no doubt that within 
the next thirty days we shall hear of bass fishing in the 
Kankakee, the Fox and other well-known streams in this 
vicinity. 
Trout Streams of Michigan. 
The southern peninsula of Michigan is a wonderful 
fishing country, though not so well known to sportsmen 
of Chicago as Wismonsin. This week the G. R. &: I. 
Railway, which crosses many good streams in that fa- 
vored land, issues its season guide book and publishes 
a list of angling waters. I consider these railroad lists 
as being on the whole of value. They are compiled partly 
from reports of local agents, who are not always anglers, 
and who are not always fully posted. The evidence is 
therefore hearsay evidence, but indeed so is any evi- 
dence in regard to angling localities. I hope readers of 
Forest and Stream will report any localities in the 
following list which they have found to be especially 
good. Railroads are corporations, and therefore soul- 
less, but when they tell us where to go fishing they are 
doing a soulful thing. In the list the figures given show 
how many miles distant the waters are from the station 
named. 
Belmont— Whitney Creek; Rum Creek, 5: McFarland Creek, 
4; Smitli Creek, IVo; Mill Creek, 5; Bear Creek, 5; Lambertoii 
Lreek b. speckled trout. 
Rockford— Barclay Creek, Rum Creek, Shaw Creek, li^; Stegman 
Creek, m; Little Cedar Creek, 5; Gray Creek, 5; Spring Creek, 
b; Hutchmg-s Creek, 2V2. Speckled trout. 
Cedar Springs— Cedar Creek, Little Cedar Creek, IV,; Whits 
Creek, 4; Porter PIoUow Creek, .5. Speckled trout. 
Sand Lake— Duke Creek, McFalls Creek, 4; ITrey's Creek, 7; 
Cedar Creek, 21/2; Duck Creek, 5; Spring Creek, V-A; Simpson's 
Creek, 3; Grant Creek, 21/2; Crandall's Creek, 3; . Greer's Creek, 3; 
Simmon's Creek. 6. Speckled trout. 
Howard City— Little l^iver, 5; Handy Creek, 3; Church Creek, 2; 
Indian Creek, Bruce Creek, 31/2; Tamarack Creek, Rice Creek, 
1. Speckled trout. 
Morley— Big Creek, 2; Rosey Run Creek, 5; Ouigley Creek, 
'■•Vi; Little Muskegon River. Speckled trout, bass and pickerel. 
Stan wood— MacK s Creek, Cedar Creek, (!; Betl's Creek, S; ±.\g 
Gulch Creek, 5; Linwood Creek, 2V2- Speckled trout. 
Big Rapids— Ryan Creek, Water Tank Creek, 2; Byers' 
Creek, 5; Lockwood Creek. 7; Ganong Creek, 4; McLellan Creek, 
3; Van Gilder Creek, 3; Dalziel Creek, 4. Speckled trout. 
Paris— Paris Creek, tipper Buckhorn Creek, Sandburg Creek, 
