Thomas County cat., 1886-12-02
WHAT HE CAUGHT.
Abraham Lincoln CClpepDer Goes Fish
ing and Catches Something Which His
~Nammy" Was Going to Buy.

in dat ere pom, an want to ketch
some"
81 amt got no dime to spar yo',
Aby," replied nanny, who was busy
cutting up pumpkin into huge iron
pct on the cook-s:ovc. use been
I-try;n TO sabc up money to buy me a
tea-kit:ie an fryer. Take fo' bits
fur EN- bot, an Is got no dimes to
spar"
But I want to ketch some fish" :"
whincd Abraham, persistent!y.
Ain no fish IN dat ere pom, no.
how, declared NANNY.
But the coy was not 10 be silenced.
'.Dcre's minners," he insisted. ..An'
if dere's minncrs, why moutn't dey be
catfish an pike?"
AT last mammy's patience gave way.
-'Ef You don't quit a-pesterin' me
an hush your mouf, l gwine cuff yo'
years good, Ab' aham Linkum Culpep-
per she declared, angrily.
And Abraham took himself out of
the way, muttering as he went.
Hi! whar you gwine. Abe?" called
lis sister Maria, coming up from the
spring with a long-handled gourd in
her hand.
Maria's woolly head presented a
strange and startling appearance plait-
ed IS it was into innumerablc little tails,
which stuck out in ali directions, 'slike
quilts upon the fretful porcupine."
''Whar's You gwine. Abc?" she re-
peated. tossing the gourd on to bed
OF onions, and rushing after her broth
cr, who was just opening the broken
hinged gate leading out into the lane.
18th. 1 dunno whar," answered Abe,
sulk j.. Nanny wouldn't glib me a
dime TO buy dat ere iishin' tackle, an
jes good mind to run away
''Sho, Abe. don't run away. Les I
an you gwi down to de big road an
hunt for dime" advised Maria, hope
fully. ..AIc be we kin fin one in &c
du t.
Bat Abe shook his head doubteullv.
NANNY mout of gimme a dime, :"
he mused. I'D of cotchcd her some
fish fur dinner if she would
Nanny Culpepper lived with her
two children in a ahalf-tumbledown little
cabin on the outskirts of Western
villaGe. A grove of black walnut trees
stretched their great arms above the
humble roof, and ''sink-hole' pond
common to that section of the country,
showed its Stagnant waters few yards
from the house. Nanny had but re-
Gently moved into tire little cabin,
which she obtained for merely NOM
inal rent. and supported herself and
her offspring by taxing in washing and
ironing from the village.
Il wusht | could of gib him a dime, -
she reflected. rs she stirred the pump
Kin with a long-hand!ed spoon; do
amt got it to spar. Takes power
full sight of money to buy vittles. an
dem chillep amt got no shoes fur de
winter. Hit'll soon be cole weather.
too. now de frost has come An der
aims no fish in dat air pom, nohow, ~
she added, consolin~iy.
About an hour later, Abraham came
rushing back, fairly painting for breath.
his round, fat face. beaEling with i'm
portance.
"Manmy. mammy!" he shouted.
eagerly. Me and Maricr has foun' q
punkin in de road-a whoppin'. big,
yaller punkin. what roll off n a wagon.
an &c man neber stop to pick it up!
Marier's standin over it a-kiverin' i.
with her dress. so dey won't nobody
see il til we kin fotch de wheel-bor an
cit il. It's too big 20 tote.
Nanny caught the infection. and
hastened down the road with the wheel
barrow-a relic from her late husband,
who worked in brick-yard There
stood Maria, screening the pumpkin
with her skirts. 1t was s.whopper," p"
sure enough, and took the combined
strength of nanny and the two chill
dren to get it into the wheel-barrow.
'.Say. mammv." ventured Abe. after
helping his mother to wheel home the
-.wind-fall.' You done glib dime
for dat air las punkin You bought.
an hit wasn't nigh so hefty as dis yer
un."
.'An' you want dime fur a-findine
it hey?" replied nanny. good-nat-
ured,v. We'll. Gar. s'pose I'd a-had
to Glib a dime fur one. anyhow. Sc
take it an 90. an don't poster me ful
no mo- dimes de longest day you lib. y
Anl Abraham chuckled with delight,
and danced a .'pigeon-wing." as he re.
ceivei the coveted dime. which nam.
my took from a long, black stocking.
leg. hanging up the chimney. The
fishine-tackle was soon hought. and
the y'suag fol.owe: OF ..izaac Walton, y
with A.;:ria at MS side. sat for at least
AN hour beside the pond. in the bright
afternoon sunshine. without even the
encouragement of single bite.
.'To'e YOU dey wa'n's nary fish in
dat air lGn',H said NANNY. cominc r.
look en-. her fat hands pressed close tc
her sides.
III! dars bite now," cried Abra
ham, suddenly pulling in with all hi:
might. ''Goliy, It's a big feller. too
Mus be n whale. ketch holt, nam
my, an he'p me haul him in.
And indeed it required considerable
strengths to haul in whatever it wa
that had caught onto the hook.