Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-03-07
WHAT CINCH WAS FISHING FOR
TIT Unexpected Answer That Came
20 . Question In = Volunteer
Regiment In Camp.

VII WuI y Itf o'N h'f'h s"' MY
active service were talking over their
days in uniform one night last week,
and told interesting stories OF camp
life, says the Chicago Inter Ocean. The
young man who had been IA hospital
steward told this story:
"a month in our camp In Georgia
was enough To drive "A man To despair,
for not only was IL hot, but every day
increased our belief that the govern
ment had no intention of giving us a
chance to get into action or of letting
us go back TO our homes. AS a hospital
steward | used 10 rear a good deal
about the health of the regiment from
the surgeons, and one day | was very
much surprised To hear of them say
that he was afraid Cincb, OF company
G, was going to lose his mind. | knew
Cinch as n big. good-natured fellow,
who tried to get u discharge as Don rs
he learned that We were not going 10
have a fight. When he failed he became
sullen and moody. The more we
watched him the more convinced we
became that something was wrong with
him. Every time we came around we
found him mumbling 10 himself. and
one day n crowd OF us found him seated
on a stump in the middle of big clover
field, holding In front OF him n long
pole. attached to which was n piece of
cord. on the end OF which was "a pin
bent 10 resemble n flshhook, lie would
drop the hook into the long grass and
let II stay there for n time. Then Dc
would make n cast and when the hook
fell would sit and watch the end of his
line intently. Every once in awhile he
would jerk the line out Of the grass as
though he had felt n nibble. Once one
of the boys stepped up and said:
"'What are you fishing for?'
Tile got 10 answer. All Cinch did
was to turn n pair Of hollow eyes on
him and then resume his fishing. After
that a gang used To 90 out and watch
Cinch every afternoon. They would
hide In the grass and almost burst with
laughter at the seriousness with which
the poor fellow would cast his line Of
wrapping cord and his pin hook and
then sit and wait for n bite. Every
once in awhile the boys would saunter
ont and say:
"'What are you fishing for. Cinch?'
ut got to be the regimental saying.
and suppose that the question: What
are you fishing for, Cinch" was thrown
at the man from company G hundred
times a day. by and by the news got
to the officers that Cinch was going
fast. They heard about his fishing in
the fields, and one day the sergeant
major went out and witnessed the per-
Torrance. lie went back and reported
Ia the colonel that unless Cinch was
discharged at once he would he hope
lessly insane. The result was that his
condition was telegraphed on TO Wash
ington and discharge papers were re-
turned ut once.
The coionel In the goodness Of his
e a. went to look up Cinch and give
him the news. He found him sitting
on a stump in the field fishing away.
while around him sat about 80 of the
regiment, one OF whom would veil:
What are you fishing for, Cinch? ever,
few minutes. The colonel stepped up
and, touching Cinch on the shoulder
said:
'Ih'H, we tHink your heAlth de
mands that you leave the service. AM
~ we have procured an honorable dis.
charge for you. Here IL u.s. and he
handed Cinch the papers,
'Cinch dropped his fishing pole and
grabbed the papers. He gave one loGt
AZ them, and when he saw that the,
were all right waved them triumphant
ly over his head and shouted at the tor
Of his voice:
This Is what I was fishing for, dang
ye all; this is what ! wa fishing for
and ] got it, too and with that he went
dancing over the field, leaving us stand
ing there, the first CLEAN Of the truth
creeping into our brains.
THE colonel looked foolish, and by
and by we began 10 sneak away one b,
one, There was no doubt that the reg
mental question: What are YOU fish.
ing for, Cinch? 2 had been answered, and
in a most emphatic and surprising fash
ion. Cnch was al sane AZ ANYBODY
but when he found he couldn't get ar
honorable discharge in one way he triet
for IL in another"