Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1896 — A Very singular Fish. [ARTICLE]

A Very singular Fish.

“The strangest fish story I ever hoard was an experience I had mysolf,” said Judge Sctiddcr, of Ataluma as he settled himself Wack In bls biff anndhatr, while a reflective look passed his open countenance. “Itwasln the summer of 1882,1 thiuk that an Easterner and myself started out on the warpath for flkh. Salmon creek afforded fine fishing for salmon, trout and salmon trout as well. “We had good sport—fine luck, In fact—for two days, and on the third day I chose a very wild spot and seated myself on a large “rock overhanging the creek- I fished with a line and rod, using the same old-fashioned sort of worm I did as a boy. There was no need to use the more scientific fly when fish were so easily caught. "The Easterner was downstream a little way, and everything was intensely solemn and quiet. When I felt a fierce pull on the line I roused up at once, and, pulling up, what should I see coming bobbing to the surface but a human skull, which, to all appearances, had swallowed the bait through Its eyes! Naturally my otherwise steady nerves were considerably shaken, and with a sort of howl I started back suddenly, which motion swung the grewsome thing rather sharply against a rock, whereat It cracked apart, and several pieces—to my relief—slid off into the stream, leaving dangling on my line a most peculiar-looking fish, almost white, and forming an almost perfect ring. "I quickly jerked the hook out of its gills and let it drop into the clear water, where it went through the strangest motions, still keeping its circular shape. It was unable to swim, but twisted around in the water or moved with a whale-like motion. My frlencj,. w|io had been attracted by my howl, arrived Just In time to see some of the eccentric gyrations, and I really believe if .he hadn’t actually seen it he would aiwayaihave said it was a <CaMfornia' yarn. • 1 • ' “We afterward came to the concltf-' pion that the fish, when small, had strayed Into, the skull, ftiicC probably through some inottpn of Its-pwn had turned the ruin over, fipd £o closed Its mpde.jpf egress,, though it could easily survive* and grow on therfood which camefioatlng by, and there it continued to grow, only hi a ring, until the worm, falling through one of the eye sockets, presided a mode of relief from it# cramped quarters.” ~ ' Give every man thine ear, but, few thy. voice. .Take each man’s but reserve thy judgment <