Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-10-12
JOLLYING AN ANGLER
BETTER SPORT THAN FISHING FOR
THE OUESTlONER.
rhe Fisherman Soon became Exns-
pcrnted, However. and Used Some
Plain Language, hut Just ms Trou-
bIc Seemed Near the Stranger Left.

pcrntcd, However, and Used Some
Plain Language, hut Just ms Trou-
bic Seemed Near the Stranger Left.
Catching anything"
The man to whom this question was
addressed sat on the end of n pier pro-
Letting into the lake and held a fishing
'od in his hand.
lie squnted up at the questoner, a
timber, elongated person in crash suit,
md replied:
"No. 357."
Eyes" rejoined the elongated person.
Il think | comprehend. | am the three
hundred and ffty-seventh man perhaps
who has asked you this morning if you
we're catching anythingW
The man with the fishing rod nodded
sagaciously.
IL see no indications of your having
made any great CATCH" pursued the 9th
Pr. May it not be that the exertion of
kceping tabs on your questoncrs absorbs
-FOUR mental energies so that you cannot
give your mind to the work Of fishing?'
The fisherman looked at him out Of the
corner of his eye and grunted something
to the effect that the condemn fools
scared the fish.
me, thought think you remarked that
| was the three hundred and fifty-sev-
cnth-were Aawn by idle curiosity, but
this is business OH my part. | am out
for morning walk. but | want mess
of fish, and | am prepared to pay for it
in current coin of the realm, wherefore,
if you have gathered enough ring perch
to make n meal for three persons, includ-
ing a domestic"-
DO you take me for condemn dock
fisherman" angrily interrupted the man
with the rod
why, certainly. What else are you"
81 don't fish for living, you walled
eyed, grasshopper legged
81 beg your pardon. l see you don't.
A professional fisherman would have an
swered civil questions in civil manner.
You've been sitting here all this morn
ing, with the reflection of the sun shining
up in your face, counting condemn fools
and watching that line out there without
getting a nibble all for the fun Of the
thing. Is that it?"
"Oh, l don't know that it makes any
difference to you. Suppose you kind of
chase yourself along the pier"
You absolutely refuse to sell me
mess of fish,"
Don't get funny"
"Will you take 80 cents a pound for
what you've got and call it days
work 2"
"I'll tell you what l think Of you
Twill You take 81 fish without re-
gard to weight Or
Say what asylum for feeble minded
children did you escape from"
"Will you take So a fish for what you
have caught"
I'll take something to you in a min
ute you won't like, you darned old
ITS just as | supposed. You haven't
pulled in fish. You have dangled your
legs all morning over that pier and
haven't had bite. You haven't got as
much sense as the fish you are trying to
catch, I'm blessed if you have! You want
me to chase myself along. do you? Do
you own this pier, you cork headed idiot!
Does the atmosphere about here belong
| to you? Do you pay taxes on the ozone
that Hi, there. Look at your line"'
| The man with the rod turned eagerly
to look Mt his line, but it was false
alarm. The angular man in the crash
suit had cruelty deceived him.
you doggoned old
| Don't buster, my friend. You won't
have any better success in soaring me
than you have in fishing. I've often won
dered what kind of human beings gather
on this pier to fish all day long with the
same kind of luck you are having.
never saw one OF them catch anything.
My curiosity is gratified, so far as you
are concerned. If You should meet me
along the street anywhere, I'll take it as
favor if you won't speak to me. You're
the biggest ass I've met in the last
month. and that's saying a good deal"
With which parting remark he strolled
away, leaving the amateur fisherman
still dangling his legs over the pier and
swearing like a professional.-Chic
| Tribune