Then Axel let himself head foremost down into the cistern. His legs were just long enough to reach. With outstretched arms he was able to get “Billy” by the scruff of the neck. Having got a good grip, he ordered “Hoist away.” Mrs. Dyer and the neighbors hoisted, and in a moment “Billy,” scared and much bedraggled, was safe in his mother’s arms. The fire department arrived about this time.
“O, look at the pretty firemen,” exclaimed Mary, and turned her entranced gaze away from the cistern to the new object of interest.
The capture of an unusually large turtle, in and of itself, has little news value, but out of the incident a New York Sun reporter by simple literary devices worked up a feature story that holds the reader’s interest and makes an entertaining little “yarn.”
They that go down to Gravesend Bay in fishing craft were talking about It all day yesterday in the back room of Hogan’s place. Here, where swings the lantern that once lighted emperors of China on their way to bed and to the rope of which there hangs a wondrous tale, and where the pistol that shot O’Donovan Rossa lies in its evil rust, the fishermen gathered and roared in each others’ ears about It. Between whiles they all went up to Lew Morris’s barn and gazed at It. It was the biggest that any of them had ever seen. Also It[Pg 216] was old. You could tell that by the barnacles that covered It. It was prodded over on Its ancient back by inquisitive toes and It slapped itself across Its chest like a cabby on a cold night.
Lew told how he caught It. He and Hogan went out in a rowboat about 9 o’clock yesterday morning to look over their weakfish nets. It was flopping around in Lew’s best net. Lew leaned over and got hold of a flipper. He found himself in all sorts of trouble right away and called for Hogan. The latter changed position too quickly and they both went in. Lew had hold of the flipper and never let go. If Al Girard and Nelse Williams hadn’t come along in a launch just then there is no telling what would have happened. Al and Nelse got Hogan and Lew out and Lew had hold of the flipper.
It is the biggest turtle—there, it’s out now—that ever has been caught in Gravesend. A deep sea turtle at that and weighs anywhere from 150 to 200 pounds.
Lew hasn’t said yet what he will do with the turtle, but he hints darkly of soup. Maybe it isn’t a soup turtle.
How a bit of information gleaned from a janitor may furnish the basis for an amusing little story, developed almost entirely by conversation, in this instance with the added flavor of Irish brogue, is well illustrated by this example taken from the New York Tribune:
Mike, one of the cleaners at the Hall of Records, beamed with satisfaction yesterday afternoon—so much so that every one noticed it. The corners of his mouth wrinkled upward, and he acted as if he had found a pocketbook for which there would be no claimant.[Pg 217]
“It’s all about thim clocks,” said Mike.