The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-03-09


''she switched Like uh buggy whip.
and showed so much interest that l
concluded to let him "try her."
"Would you like to catch fish with
my rod7"
would I? Well, guess yes"
"An right; now I'll show you few
tricks about handling it, so you won't
smash my tip, you know; and then You
may try your skill"
He was delighted, and paid strict at
tention as explained the wrist move
ment in the cast. In a few trials he
had mastered the knack; indeed, he
took to it as naturally as duck to
water, and was ready.
Reckon I'll git uh few dandy red
horse minnies, men I'll git nh Balaam
sure right crost there by that ole root.
They's sallus uh Balaam err two over
there, n I'll git one all right"
He scrambled into thick clump of
willows on the island, ducked in among
the branches and brought out min
now net made of yard or so of blue
mosquito bar, with the ends rolled
around a couple of willow sticks. With
this primitive outfit he waded out into
the current, and, making quick sweep
through an eddy behind rock, dipped
up about a dozen fine red-hOrse min
nows, bright as bit of rainbow, and
brought them ashore. Here he picked
out three or four, remarking: "Yeh
want to git these rough-nosed fellers if
yeh want good bait" though saw no
difference in the color or size or any
characteristic of the minnows until the
boy showed me the heads of two or
three of them. One was smooth and
slippery as any fish is, while the other
fish felt as if it had a skin of sand
paper, it was so rough. The boy de-
clared that catfish took the rough
kind "quicker'n ightnin'," when it
would not notice the smooth kind that
looked just like it.
He put the few bats that he had Sc
iected into his hat and then compla-
Gently put the hat back on his head,
saying: They're handy that way, an
yeh can git 'em fresh whenever yeh run
out O. bait"
He strung one on the hook to his
liking and then waded out into the
stream within casting distance of the
old root he had mentioned. At the
third cast he got large one. "Got ole
Balaam, sure!" he shouted. gave him
directions about handling for few
moments, but soon saw that he instinct
lively understood the handling of a rod
and reel, so ] stood still and watched
the fight, and pretty one it was, too.
In about ten minutes the boy started
back for shore, working the fish slowly
and carefully across the stream, lead
ing him always into the stiffest cur
rents he could. I waded out with the
net and stood ready, and when the
catch came within reach landed him
safe in the net. Gee! that's uh slick
way to git yer fish, too," said the boy,
as he noted the landing-net act. We
walked up on the island and unlocked
the prize, which tipped the pocket scales
at 9A pounds, and then sat in the shade
talking. The boy was enthusiastic
about the working of the rod, though
nine-pound fish seemed to interest
him only as an adjunct to the sport of
reeling in and Keeling out.
Gee! that's uh mighty nice pole
How much d. yeh pay for emp" 1 told
him the run of prices on rods, and ex-
planned the POINTS of good one to him.
I'm goin' to have one like that" he
said, and knew he meant it by the
snap OF his square young jaw.
In orr conversation that afternoon T
found that the boy knew every foot of
the river for miles up and downstream,
and every foot of the surrounding
country besides, for he had shotgun
and rifle and hunted in season.
He said he went to school "some-
times" and always camped out in va
cation. He had his boat and cayuse,
too, SO he was fixed for all kinds of
outdoor sport. When the sun began
to lengthen the shadows the boy reck-
oned he'd "vamoose," but we parted
firm friends, and with the understand
ing that we would meet again on the
following Saturday at the dam and
fish the rifles downstream together.
$50 long," said the boy, as he gath
cred up his long cane pole and his big
fish and silently disappeared into the
bushes of the island, barefooted and
barelegged, unmindful of the scratch
ing bushes or the sawlike edges of the
wiry slough grass.
There is boy that is character,
and is good one to study" thought.
l was right, too; for 1 saw him grow
up, hunted, fished and travelled with
him, was at his wedding, and am good
friends with his fve-year-old, who
shows signs of being "chip from the
old block" already.
Buttering Both Sides.