The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-01-24
What Cinoh was fishing For,

Some young men who enlisted duriol
the war with Spain but never saw any q,
tive service we're talking over their day,
10 uniform one night last week, and told
interesting stories OF camp life, says th,
Chicago Inter Ocean, The yonus mar
who had been a hospital steward told
this story:
A month 10 our camp 10 Georgia wa
enough to drive man to despair, fol
not only WAS 1t hot, but every day Ia
creased our belief that the government
had no intention oi giving us a chance
to get into action or OF letting us &C
back TO our homes. As hospital stew
ard l used TO hear good deal sbout th.
health OF the regiment from the Surgeons
and one day was very much surprised
TO hesr one OF them say that be was
afraid Cinch OF company q was going To
lose his mind. l knew Cipch rs a big.
sood-nstured fellow, who tried to get q
discharge as toon as he learned that we
we're not going to bsve a fight. When
be failed he became snllen and moody,
The more we watched him the more con
vinoed We became that something was
wrong with him. Every time we came
around we found him mumbling to him
self. and ne day crowd OF us found
him seated on y stump in the middle OF
big clover field. holding in front OF
him q long pole. attached to which was .
piece Of cord. on the end OF which was Q
pin bent to resemble a f,hhook. He
would drop The hook into the long grass
and let it stay there for time. Then
be would take a cast aud when the hook
fell would cit and watch the end Of the
line iptently, Every once in while be
would jerk the line ont OF the grass 90
though be had felt nibble. Once one
OF the boys stepped up and said:
What are you fishing foip
He got no answer. All Cinoh did was
to turn pair OF hollow eyes on him
and then resume his fishing. Alter that
. gang used to go ont and watch Cincb
every afternoon. They would hide 10
the grass and almost burst with laughter
st the seriousness With which the poor
fellow would cast bis line ont OF the
wrapping cord and bis pin hook and then
sit and wait for bite. Every once In q
while the boys would sumter out and
say:
What ere you fishing for. CiDch2
II got to be the resimen.sl saying. and
l suppose that the question: What are
you fishing for. Cinch? WAS thrown at the
man from company O hundred times q
day. BY end by the news got to the
officers that Cinch WAS going fast, They
heard sbou! the fishing In the fields, and
one day the sergeant major went ont and
witnessed the performance. He went
back ard reported to the colonel that M
less Cinch was discharged at once be
would be hopeIessly insane. The result
was that his condition was telsgrsphed
on to Washington and discharge pspers
we're returned at once,
The colonel in the goodness OF his
heart went TO look mp Cinch and give
him the news. he found bin sitting on
9 stump 10 the field fishing away. while
around him sat about so OF the regiment,
one Of whom would yell. What are you
fishing Tor. Cinch9 every few moments,
The colonel stepped mp. and, touching
Cinch on the shoulder. said.
Cincb. We think your health demands
that you leave the service. snd so we have
procured 40 honorable dischsrge for you.
Here it IL, and be handed Cinch the ps
pers.
Cinch dropped bis fishing pole and
grabbed the papers. He gave one looh
at them, and when be saw that they were
all right waved them tffnmpnshtiy over
bis head and shouted Ut the top oi bis
voice.
This is what | wss fishing for. dsngye
oil, this is WHIST was fishing for. snd ]
got 1t too, and With that be went dancing
over the f.lj. leaving as standing there.
the arst glesm Of the truth creeping into
our brsins.
The colonel looked foolish, and by end
by we bsssn 10 sneak away one by one.
There was no doubt thu. the reeimentsl
question. What are yon a,hiog Tor. Cinch !
bad been snsweted. and In 9 most enphs
tic and sorpn log fashion. Cinch vas s.
sane 90 snyb d., bn, when be found be
couldn't get &c honorable discharge 10
a a l..