St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-10-01
The President Fishing.

~ knew I'd get a bite when | put
them angle worms on my hook" said
the president, as he watched the bob
on his line intently "sOmething yank
ed it like n mule just then, but it got
away"
"Bullhead," said the doctor, briefly.
1t was sunny afternoon in the Adj
rondacks and the men had begun fish
ing too soon after dinner for much luck
with bass or pickerel. The president
had concluded to try angle worms.
Chow do you know it was bull
head 2" he said to the doctor. at felt
little like bass. A bass likes
look Quit BY jove! I've got him !"
And with a sweep which nearly broke
his rod he landed on the beach a fish
about eight inches long and with
head big enough for n young shark.
The fish had IA greenish back, yellow
belly, what looked like a pair of horns,
the eyes of demon, and mouth with
an expression about it which suggested
murder in cold blood.
81 told YOU so" said the doctor. ats
IL bnllhead."
ats IA monster, any how" said the
president. "LoQk at that mug. Are
they good to eat p
go, they're not bad, properly cook
ed. The bullhead belongs to the great
catfish family, or the catfish belongs to
the great bullhead family, | don't
know which-the kind they're trying
to introduce in England just now, and
which English spOrtsmen are protest
ing against-they're a great food fish
of the coarser kind. But we don't
know what catfish are in the east. It's
II great pity You never made visit
west, Mr.. Cleveland"
"Why SO ?" said the president.
Because then you'd have seen a
Mississippi catfish. No man has really
seen life who has not looked upon a
Mississippi catfish"
"Did you ever see one, Doc 7"
''Did /? Well, should say so. A
few years ago l had to stay in st.
Louis for week. hope it will never
happen to me again-and there | got
acquainted with the Mississippi catfish.
They live on catfish there. You can
see it cut up in great steaks i'll Union
market--that's place in the centre of
the town where Everybody buys food
and you can fairly feel catfish i'll the
air. The river and the slOughs in the
region are full of catfish, and some of
UIen HtU 10 DC iDOnSJtIS. We ScCu
catfish there seven feet long"
"DOc," says the president, "when
you lie, why don't you lie reasonably
and artistically 2"
The doctor became excited. ~ tell
you Pm not lying" he explained.
"This isn't my fish Pm talking about,
but the fishes other fellows caught.
What excuse would | have for lying
I'm IVA Ia
that couldn't wear one of your collars,
not by il long shot. Why, they hang
around the levee at St. Louis and grow
big and fat Oh what is thrown into the
river, and when the fishermen catch a
big one they find all sorts of things in
side him. | saw one catfish opened in |
the market there, and they took out a
gold bracelet, setter dog, pair of
buckskin gloves, IA darkey baby, and
seven copies of the city ordinances!
tell you catfish will eat anything
This one was six feet niue inches long!
weighed 30 pounds, and the steaks
cut up from it sold for over 80"
Doc" said the president, "did you
take anything ut the tent in addition
to the little appetizer before dinner Z"
.tNOt drop ~ retorted the doctor
hotly. "And I'll tell you what it is,
Mr.. Cleveland, | don't forget the re-
spect due the president of the United
States, but | want it understood that
out here in the woods, some respect is
due me, also, as II sportsman and gen
tleman. | know what | am talking
about. | say it with all proper regard,
but you'll never know what country
this is until you have been West. Your
ignorance of the West, sir, is the one
weak spot in your administration"
The president made no reply, but he
to himself little later rs he
was putting on some fresh worms at
may be Doc is right. He doesn't seem
to have been drinking-but | never
thought a bull head could hold SO
much. Bayard's been in Missouri. I'll
lsk him about it when | see him.
Chicago Tribune.