Thomas County cat., 1890-07-24
HOW SHE CAUGHT FISH.

1UW OuE UHUGl1l IlOu.
II don't care if Freddy Colby is com
ing, Aunt Frances, I'm going fishing
with Tom. Why shouldn't pray!
don't know your paragon of perfection
II 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 go 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. I 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
aunt's expected guest, went with her
cousin Tom out to the river and sat OH
the bank under big, shadOwing trees by
the 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 forward, her hands clasped
round her knees, her dark face raised
toward the sunlight that fiickered
through the boughs overhead.
They were city people Joneses,
but Minnie 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
knees, 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
boy! The bug wasn't hurting YOU"
NO." 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
fly. 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. "I'n
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 they?" queried his cousin, with
an air of superior wisdom. "There," +"
with little scream, "Ive got him-Ive
got him, Tom. What do you say now
to girls catching fish," And she whirled
the poor little harmless sunfish up out
of the water with enough power to land
six pounder-up through the soft air
and around under the shadowy. flutter-
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 sudden he broke into such
a 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
him"
And poor little mortified Minnie sat
still Oh the bank, heiplessly staring al
the stranger, at the tlcpping fish, at dis
graceful, Gisagreeable Tom kicking hys
terieally at her feet.
Il beg your pardon, said the stranger
gravely, without so much as twitch
ing of his lips. Il was out in the woods
looking up place for sketching wher
/ heard you scream. thought there
might be cause for alarm and came al
once. l am sorry if ] have made you
at all uncomfortable
might be cause for alarm.,' This
unfortunate remark did not help tC
cool Minnie's anger. She could have
hung poor Tom with good grace.
'.Let me get him off for YOU" HI
stopped and grasped the wriggling fisf
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