The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-07-03
ETHICS OF ANGLING.
Content to be Found While Dailying or
 tho CDonu.- Sod

content to be Found While DaiIylnS OH
 the SpOngy Sod.
 Just now, when the doZy days are come, mans blood courses slugglishly through his veins and he creeps unWil- lingly to his daily task, like the loiter- ing boy to school: he is inclined to day dreaming and indolence. Thus is a strange anomaly presented, since na- ture. awakened from her long sleep, has put on new life, the beasts of the field and the birds of the air take fresh joy in mere existence; but man, alone of all animals. remains dull and unrespon- sive. He has need of a stimulant, med icines to thin and cleanse his blood; his lungs, long contracted and weighted down with many wrappings, creak and work stiffiy because of their unaccus- toned freedom. Then it is that he is attracted to the open, to daily amid the green luxuriarce, to tread uncertainty the spongy sod.
 But he is not satisfied with mere idling, but must needs find some outlet for his surplus energy that has been saved to him. Is it any wonder, under these circumstances, that many occupy their leisure with the gentle and digni- fled art of angling? He needs no ex- cuse for this indulgence and suffers no compunctions for the cruelty he may infiict, but several tendencies now DOT tend to mar the sweetness of the craft. There seems an inclination toward ar istocracy, for those who read the litera- ture have, no doubt, noticed the pauclty of stories concerning the plain ways Of thinking. These accounts are likely to be monopolized by the achievements of the more elaborate methods, of the cap ture of fish of high degree. This indlct- ment may be strong, if not unfair: but if it is not rebuttable, then one of the charms of the occupation is lost, since characteristic of the craft is it's whole soulness and equality between man and man.
 He" (the fisherman), as Father Wal ton has said, 'is a mild, sweet and peaceful creature;" but if class distinc- tion is to intrude to exert benighting influence, this will be impossible, for the buzzing of the social bee is sure to breed discontent in the one and cove- tousness in the other It has ever been that the poorest and richest could touch elbows in discussions of their common sports, forgetting their business cares and their social position, their brains were frest ened and their disposition were mellowed. Thus was the true brotherhood of man consummated and true happiness found, for as old 1Zaak has it, When I would beget content will walk the meadow by some gliding stream" And is not contentment the concomitant of happiness?
 The book learned enthusiast may wax eloquent, singing the praises of the ar tificial fly, but it always has the effect of self1shness and trickery. The elabo- rate preparation, the carrying of many implements of trade, create ah artifi- cial atmosphere, which detracts from the spontaneity of the pleasure. At the sight of one thus harnessed the memory harks back to the sallying forth of Don Quixote into the broad. green fields, seeking to tilt his lance against wind mills. The uninitiated and prejudiced may say that all fish bite alike, but the mere denial of this would be sad waste of time. for the statement of it. self spells falsity. And when you pull your unwilling prey from the water in a plain and simple way you do so with a mind clean of deceit for you have played no tricks or have taken unfair advantage because of your superior ir- +alIectuaIity -Ra fillmore American,