Jasper Republican, Volume 1, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1874 — A Fish and Rat Story. [ARTICLE]

A Fish and Rat Story.

The Boston Traveller tells the following story of an old gentleman who passes his summer days at a favorite resort in Boston harbor. The other morning before four o’clock he took his fishing rod and basket and went gravely (he does everything gravely) down to the landing, to fish an hour or two before breakfast. The sport was not over-exciting, and after he had caught one smelt he took a short nap, the smelt meanwhile having been deposited in the basket. Another bite came, and another smelt was caught and placed in the basket. “ Two,” says the old gentleman, laconically, but to his surprise his first fish was gone. He wondered a little, but took another nap. Then caught another smelt. “ Two now,” said the old man; but, wonder again, the second fish had disappeared. He tried one more nap with the same result, and after catching his fourth fish determined to watch his basket while the fifth smelt was biting. The thief was discovered, and proved to be an immense and cheeky wharf rat —not a human wharf rat, but a rodent. He had been feeding during the pleasant sleep of the ancient fisherman, and no doubt went off to tell his friends what a kind old fellow had been roosting on the landing.