The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-08-15
HOW SHE CAUGHT FISH.

ing, Aunt Frances, I'm going fishing
with Tom. Why shouldn't l, pray9 !
don't know your paragon of perfection
Il don't wish to know him. If father
and mother would persist in promising
us to each other when we were nothing
but babies, that does not 60 to show
that we have got to keep to the promise
We had no voice in the matter and we
were the ones to consult. For my part
don't intend to keep it. Fred Colby
is coming to see you and am going
fishing with Tom. don't know when
we'll get back, either"
And Minnie Jones tied on her big red
SUN bonnet with little air of bravado
as she vanished out of the wide open
door of the farm house kitchen, while
Aunt Frances looked after her over her
spectacles with an air of one who knew
something which she did not care to
tell 1--WE will wait and see," she said
While Minnie, entirely forgetting her
aunts expected guest, went with her
cousin Tom out to the river and sat on
the bank under big shadowing trees by
tho waterfall, the farther side of the
wood from Grey's farm, watching red
headed Tom patiently waiting the pleas
ure of the perch snugly hidden in the
quiet pool below. Her huge sun bon
net lay on the grass beside her as she
leaned toward, her hands clasped round
her knees, her dark face raised toward
the sunlight that f1ickered through the
boughs overhead.
They were city people-the Joneses,
but Mimic was spending the summer
with Aunt Frances Grey, her mothers
only sister, who cared for her as though
she were her own, but whom Minnie
thought unkind for siding with her par
ents in regard to the son of her fathers
old friend.
''Tom," said Minnie suddenly, un-
clasping her hands from around her
kness, I'm tired watching you fish;
you catch nothing. Let me try"
'Just as though girl could catch a
fish," retorted Tom, disrespectfully,
swapping black beetle into the water.
Don't" said Minnie "You cruel boyl
The bug wasn't hurting you"
mo" replied Tom, calmly, leaning
his chin in the hollow of his hand, "but
it's lots of fun to see him sprawlin'
round in the water Look at his legs
fyl You bet they never went so fast
On dry land. Hi. there he goes" as a
fish came to the surface and the bug
went down. ''Good for you, finny.
Come an try my hook" and he dab
bled the bait temptingly over the spot.
LET me try" said Minnie. ''rn catch
him"
you can't" said Tom, though he
slowly handed her the slender pole.
"Girls do know how ter catch fish.
They make too big fuss over it,"
DO they9" queried his cousin, with
an air of superior wisdom. There"
with little scream, 1--WE got him-I've
got him, Tom, What do you say now
to girls catching fish2" And she whirled
the poor little harmless sunfish up out
of the water with enough power to land
a six pounder-up through the soft air
and around under the shadowy, futter-
ing leaves, just as a gentleman emerged
from the thick underground in time to
catch the Topping, sloppy fish in his
face.
UGH" he exclaimed Indignantly.
''You must have heard me coming.
You might have been more careful"
Then of a sudden he broke into such
q merry laugh that Minnie had all she
could do to refrain from joining him;
but after such a blunder she would
have done much to keep her frigid dig
nifty. But Tom had no such scruples. He
was lying fiat on his face, kicking his
feet up over his back, his chin deep in
the hollow of his hands, as he burst out
in an agony of mirth:
''Sure's you live, Min, you did catch
hun"
And poor little mortified Minnie sat
still on the bank, helplessly staring at
the stranger, at the Topping fish, at dis
graceful, disagreeable Tom kicking hys-
terically at her feet.
II beg your pardon, " said the stranger
gravely, without so much as a twitch-
ing of his lips 81 Twas out in the woods
looking up place for sketching when
heard you scream. thought there
might be cause for alarm and came at
once. am sorry if l have made you
at all uncomfortable
Might be cause for alarm" This
unfortunate remark did not help to
cool Minnie's anger. She could have
hung poor Tom with a good grace
LET me get him off for you" He
stopped and grasped the wriggling fish
in one hand and struggled with the
hook with the other without q blush.
though even Impractical Minnie had q
suspicion that % much force was not
necessary.
This part Of the world looks to me
q though there might be trout. Have
you ever tried to catch thema They
are the fish to give some fine maneu-
vering."
'Twouldn't be any use for her to
try" broke in Tom; she makes too big
fuss about it. ;"
Minnie scorned to offer reply to this
disparaging remark, but the angry fire
IN her eyes was not missed by the OBJ.
serving eyes of the stranger.
II wish I could sketch you Just a
you are now, he said, impulsively, ne
GREETING tho words a. soon as they were
uttered, for Minnie roe hurxiedly e