The Press., 1901-06-20
ICINCH WENT FISHING
HE USED HIS HOOK AND LINE IN A BIG GLOVER FIELD.

What He Was Angling For. but He
 Finally Landed the Prize For
 Which He Was Striving.
 Some young men who enlisted dur ing the war with Spain, but never saw any active service, were talking over their days in uniform one night and old, interesting stories of camp life. The young man who had been hospi- tai steward told this story:
 "A month in our camp in Georgia was enough to drive a man to despair, for not only was it hot, but every day increased our belief that the govern ment had no intention of giving us a back to our homes. It was a mighty tough predicament for lot of young men who had left business and every thing else In burst of patriotic enthu- siasm and expected to get into a scrap in short order. The men worked every wire they could to get their discharges, but it was at time when the man with pull couldn't get any more than the man without a friend. After awhile discharges and made up their minds to grin and bear it.
 "As hospital steward l used to hear a good deal about the health of the reg iment from the surgeons, and one day was very much surprised to hear one of them say that he was afraid Cinch of Company c was going to lose his mind. I knew Cinch as big, good na- tured fellow. who tried to get dis charge as soon as he learned that we were not going to 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 to himself. and one day crowd of us found him seated on stump in the middle of big clover field. holding in front of him a long pole. attached to which was a piece of cord. on the end of which was pin bent to resemble a fishhook. He would drop the hook in- to the long grass and let it stay there for a time. Then he would make a 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 nibhle. Once one of the boys stepped up and said:
 "'What are you fishing forY
 "He got no answer All Cinch did was to turn a pair of hollow eyes on him and then resume his fishing. After that a gang used to go 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 bite. Every once in awhile one of the boys would saunter out and say:
 "'What are you fishing for CinchY
 'It got to be the regimental saying, and suppose that the question. What are you fishing for. CincnY was thrown at the man from Company c hundred times 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 surgeon major went out and witnessed the per ! formance. He went back and reported to the colonel that unless Cinch was discharged at once he would be hope lessly insane. The result was that his condition was telegraphed on to Wash. | ington and discharge Rapers were re. turned at once.
 ''The colonel in the goodness of his heart went to look up Cinch and give him the news. He found him sitdne | on a stump in the field fishing away while around him sat about 50 of the regiment. one of whom would yell l What are you fishing for. Cinch
 every few minutes The colonel step
 ped up and touching Cincb on tho
 shoulder said: | "'Cinch, we think your health de mands that you leave the service, ant | so we have procured an honorable dis | charge foi you. Here 1t is.' and ht
 handed Cinch the papers.
 "Cinch dropped his fishing pole ant | grabbed the papers He gave one lool at them. and when he saw that the! were all right waved them triumphant ly over his head and shouted at thu top of his voice:
 "'rhis is what was fishing for dang ye all This is what l was fish l ing for, and got it too.' And witt
 that he went dancing over the field
 leaving us standing there. the frs l gleam of the truth creeping into ou ! brains.
 | "The colonel looked foolish. and b.
 and by we began 10 sneak away on' by one There was no doubt but wha the regimental question. What are yo' fishing for. CinchY had been answer
 ed and ill most emphatic and sur prising fashion Cinch was as sane al
 anybody. but when he found he couit
 not get an honorable discharge in on, l way be tried for it another" -