Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-11-25


another will give you a very small
share of the spoils. No such division
of labor ever yet resulted in satisfac-
ton or in fortune. You remember
the story Of the white man and the
Indian and the turkey and turkey
buzzard? Well. that's about how it
will be. He who gains the prize will
be likely to retain it. and he should.
The mere watcher has no rightful
claim. It is the catcher who has the
best title, and possession is-You know
what the law says of it. Rig up your
own tackle and attend to your own
line. Don't be forever following the
miserable example of old RIP VAN
: WINKLE and 'sdoing chores" for 9TH
ers. 1t don't pay. Bait your own
hooks and throw in your own flies. If
the stream is deep, don't fear to wade;
if rocky, risk a fall Then what you
get will be your own and there will be
no grumbling about fair play.
Get hook and line and pole and sink
er and go to work like man The
world is a vast fish pond, and in it
swim the prizes-the salmon of bust
ness. No matter what you hook,
sucker or trout. it has some value; and
the earlier you are up, and the more
strictly you attend to what there is to
do, the more likely you will not re
main empty-handed. Whistling care
lessly around won't answer. Fishing
in life must be real and earnest; must
employ time and brain and muscle; is
no child's play; for others are desper-
ately striving to be foremost, and if
you let your rod rest unused upon the
bank, and if you don't keep your line
free from snarls, and neglect your bait
the stream will flow uselessly to you
along, and the school of golden-scaled
fish swim past, and never a bite.
You cannot aoorn yourself into sue
cessful business and wealth without
strong and continued effort 1t is the
head against the current all the time,
and the little minnows have to fight to
keep the great whales from sucking in
and swallowing them up. You must
catch the food and take care the ebb
does not catch you. You must be
alert and wary; have quick eyes and
quick hands and stout nerves. When
the cork goes under, be ready to
'strike,;' and sink the hook so deep
there can be no escape. You must do
your own fishing, or you will never see
scale or fin, save to envy another.
Do your own fishing. Act for
yourself as mach as possible in the
nature of things, and don't lndolently
trust to another Select the best
place, and keep "bobbing" until it is
fished dry before even thinking of
moving, Changing about with every
wind that blows is almost as bad as
not throwing a line at all. Bait is
not generally taken at the first cast,
and the public has been gulled 50 Of
ten it is shy about taking the hook.
| Look we'll to the rod, the reel, the
line, the leader, the sinker, and use
the ''most killing and dainty morsels,
and be ready when the rush comes.
Another cannot do business-st least,
will not, as a rule-one-half as we'll as
you can for yourself.
Do your own fishing if you would
be satisfied with the result. Stop
loafng around whistling (and whisky
ing y, throwing pebbles idly into the
stream, but so to work in earnest.
You have no pole or line? Then get
them. It can De done, somehow. il
you try. Cutting bait'' may be bet
ter than nothing-barely better and
that's all it foots up. No single man
has the monopoly Of business, and you
have just as good right to fish in the
stream Of success as another. Do it,
and don't stand wishing for the break
fast and dinner and supper you can
earn Fish for yourself, or you will
learn to your sorrow that the devil is
fishing for you with long pole and a
sharp hook.-Ronnds' Cabinet.
"There IS no social dishonor about
which no one thinks it worth while to