The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-09-13
THAT CATFISH.
Hov 1t Got the Best of = Fisherman villa
Two Much Confidence.


Two Much Confidence.
"Ketched a bass yist'd'y,'' said the man
from Potato creek, that was so long,
measuring of about nine inches on his
forearm. 81 been tryin to git that bass
fer nigh year. He used to live at the ole
hole above the sawnill'
yes" said the grocer, bass is mighty
smart fish,
ssSome people may think bass is smart. -
said the man with the ginger beard, ian
I don't know but what they would be
smart enough fer the grocery business er
somethin of that kind, but when it comes
Go real intellect they amt zone Of EN- can
lay it on to the catfish, an don't you forgit
it."
s'Show me where . catfish ever showed
any signs of havin sense shouted the
grocer, pounding his fist on the counter,
"an I'll eat my hat
ssThat wouldn't be no job fer you, . said
the man with the ginger beard, "eatin q
straw hat. It wouldn't go down half as
hard as thistles, an I'll bet you could eat
them an like 'em.''
The grocer met the insinuation with ST.
lence, and the man with the ginger beard
continued:
''Now, about this here catfish I started
to tell you fellers about. 1t was a mother
catfish. 1 don't doubt that you hev read in
the material history books how the mother
of a lot of what hear summer boarder
call kitten fish stays around an watches
'em an keeps the bass an pike from max
ing a meal of EN- This here case was a
little on the same way. You see, 1 was
out in my boat fshin, an ketched young
cat, about half growed, should say.
Well, as soon as got him in the boat he
gives them kind of grunts that cats gives
when they come out of the water. Next
thing heerd an answer down in the wa
ter, an here come the mother of the young
one with the tears rollin down her
checks
"See here, said the grocer, 9'how could
you see tears rollin down her cheeks when
she was under water?''
"'Cause she was in fresh water, an the
tears was salt, an could see the difference
In the color. OF course 1 allowed to put
the young lady back after that, but jist to
see what she would say / shuk my head.
I hadn't no sooner did this than away she
went to the bottom an purity soon the
mud begins to rile up. Next thing up
come that there mother catfish with sill
yer dollar in her mouth. Somebody had
drapped it there suppose. So I chucks
the young one out an reich over fer the
dollar"
elbow long ago was thatP" asked the
grocer.
Bout four years ago. WhyP''
81 was in hopes it might of ben today.
A dollar on that there bill of yourn would
come in mighty handy
''Well, - said the man with the ginger
beard, sit wouldn't of made no difference
if it had ben today, cause didn't git the
dollar. I hadn't no sooner drapped that
little one over the side of the skift than
the ole one drapped the dollar to the bot
tom agin, an then as she hadn't no thumb
to put to her nose she twistez around till
she gifts one fin of her tail to her nose an
wiggles the other one at me. So that's
why 1 say catfish is the smartest fish that
swims. Any other fool fish would of give
up that there dollar"
Taking handful of prunes and a her.
ring, the man with the ginger beard saun-
tered out, mounted his mule and rode in
the direction of the setting sun.-Ex-
change