Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-06-24
HOW SHE CAUGHT FISH.

ing, Aunt Frances, I'm going fishing
with Tom. Why shouldn't /, pray2
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 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. Il don't know when
we'll get back, either"
And Minnie Jones tied ON her big red
sun bonnet with little air of bravadc
as she vanished out of the wide oper
door OF the firm house kitchen, while
Aunt Frances looked after her over her
spectacles with an cir of one ;9ho knew
something which she did not care tc
tell. 1--WE win wait and see," she said
While Minnie, entirely forgetting hel
aunt's expected guest, went with hel
cousin Tom out to the river and sat or
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 Don
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 flickered through the
boughs overhead.
They wera city people-the 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 hel
knees, 'T'm tired watching you fish
you catch nothing. Let me try
Gust as though a girl could catch G
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 Leg
f1yl You bet they never went so fast
on dry land. Hi, there he goes" as 6
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'm catcl
him"
"You can't" said Tom, though h
slowly handed her the slender pole
"Girls do know how ter catch fish
They make too big fuss over It,"
''Do theyT queried his cousin, will
an air of superior wisdom. '"There,
with little scream, 1--WE got him-Pvt
got him, Tom, What do you say nov
to girls catching fish2" And she whirlet
the poor little harmless sunfish up on
of the water with enough power to lane
a six pounder-up through the soft al
and around under the shadowy, hutter
ing leaves, just as a gentleman emerged
from the thick underground in time t.
catch the Hopping, sloppy fish in hi
face.
"Ughn he exclaimed Indignantly
'FYou must have heard me coming
You might have been more careful"
Then of sudden he broke into sucl
a merry laugh that Minnie had all sh,
could do to refrain from joining him
but after such Il blunder she would
have done much to keep her frigid dig
nifty. But Tom had no such scruples. HI
was lying fiat on his face, kicking hi
feet up over his back, his chin deep Ii
the hollow of his hands, as he burst GU
IN an agony of mirth:
''Sure's you live, Min, you did catcl
him"
And poor little mortified Minnie sa
still on the bank, helplessly staring a
the stranger, at the Hopping fish, at dis
graceful, disagreeable Tom kicking hys
terically at her feet.
'Tbeg your pardon, said the stranger
gravely, without so mnch as twitch
ing of his lips. "Iwas out in the wood
looking up u place for sketching wher
heard you scream. g! thought Their
might be cause for alarm and came a
once. am sorry if l have made yol
at all uncomfortable.
might be cause for alarm" Thi
unfortunate remark did not help t.
cool Minnie's anger. She could hav,
hung poor Tom with good grace
LET me get him off for you" HI
stopped and grasped the wriggling fsl
In one hand and struggled with tn
hook with the other without a blush
though even Impractical Minnie had I
suspicion that SO much force was no
necessary.
''Thls part of the world looks to IN
ms though there might bc trout Hav
you ever tried to catch them1 The,
arc the fish TO give some fine maneu
vering."
'Twouldn't be any use for her t
try" broke in Tom; she makes too BIZ
fuss about II.
Minnie scorned TO offer reply to thi
disparaging remark, but the angry fir
in her eyes was not missed by the oh
serving eyes of the stranger.
al wish could sketch you just a
you are now, he said, impulsively, rt
r,rnffinc the words as soon as they wer