The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-03
BARGAIN IN CRABS.
HOW Penn Yam Doctor MRdo o Good
Thing In Bass Halt.

Thing In Bass Halt.
II like to do little black bass fish.
ing now and then," said DR.. Tompkins.
OF Penn Yam, but Pm not one of those
enthusiastic people who can't get along
without it. The other day, though, a
friend OF mi no came in with q fine catch
OF bass, and the sight Of them rather
put mo in tho humor of going out and
getting u lot myself"
"'What did YOU catch 'em with?' I
asked my friend.
Crabs, no said.
"We call crawiish crabs in Penn Yam.
l had heard before that crabs were good
bait for black bass, and thinking that
might get somo fun out of thom as well
as any body else, won't over to Lake
Keuka outlet to gathor somo for bait.
l banged around in tho creek for throo
hours, turning up stones and stopping
about in the water knee deep. and sue
ceeded in capturing five little crabs.
We'll, said to myself, that isn't
very big lot OF bait to start on o days
fishing with, but guess 1 won't have
any trouble getting two or three nice
bass, anyhow.
Il was about leaving the crock when
| mot small boy. He was a Penn
Yam small boy, and had norve, and he
hailed mo familiarity, and said:
Ilullo, mister What you after p
II told him 1 was gathering crabs
for bait. but that they were powerful
scarce.
"Whatll you give mo to get you
some ? inquired the small boy.
II thought it would DO nice thing
to have a couple of dozen or so of crabs,
for I'd want to be going out after more
bass the next day, and knowing what a
tough and tedious time I'd had getting
Only five, I'd thought I'd mako it worth
tho boys while spending a day Juggling
and sweating among the stones, and so
said Id give him five cents apiece for
crabs.
"llow many'll git you p he asked.
Oh, all you can | replied, feeling
that all he could get would certainly be
few enough.
"'All right! he said, and l went up
the lake mile or so with my five crabs
TO get some bass for my supper. L
fished all the rest or tho day and never
got rs much as bite 1t was supper
time when pulled for home
Tho next man that says crabs to
me- said to myself, 1T won't 10 well
with"
"'Aftcr supper l was sitting in my
Office, feeling a little soro yet over my
days fishing. when knock came to tho
door. I opened it. and there stood the
small boy had hired to gather crabs
for mo. had forgotten all about him.
"'llullo, mister! he said. Il got
somcr'
Grabs were the worry last thing was
laundering after just then, but OF course
bargain was q bargain.
"'All right, said Fetch 'cm in
The small boy stepped aside, and
Immediately appeared again, accom-
panied by another small boy. Each
luggcd in big tobacco pail. Each pail
was flied with crabs.
'Greatheavens!"I exclaimed. GLOW
many have you got?"
There's two thousan' mistcr' said
tho small boy I had bargaincd with
But we'd "a got lot moro if tho pals
had been bigger
Two thousand crabs! If you'll take
tho trouble TO figure on that you'll find
that at five cents apiece 1000 crabs will
como to just an even 500, and that was
the price per crab had bound myself to
pay. While those boys had nerve, I've
an idea that their ideas OF flnanciorine
wore crude. for after some exceedingly
anxious and apprehonsive argument
with them l induced them to compromise
on basis of abor by tho day, and oven
then they made SO good thing out of
me that the next man who mentions
crab to me will stand an cxcelent chance
of having tho price Of that days work
taken out Of his hide. returned those
crabs TO Keuka outlet. and any one who
wants to may go thero and catch thom-
, il he can."-Cor. N. Y. Sun