Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-27
HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND

''The juvenile Afro-American mind has
pretty nearly as many kinks as the wool on
the Afro-American head" remarked a man
just back from his vacation. I've been
spending three weeks down near Wake
field. Va. loafing, fishing and exploring the
county SO intimately connected with the
early days Of George Washington. I put
in most of my afternoons fishing for rock.
perch. taylors and other lower Potomac in
habitants. The fishing was easy-I just
yanked the old flat-bottomed skiff out to a
point in the river that looked good for fish
ing. threw my shrimp-baite hook over
board and hauled 'em in pretty fast. No
work at all connected with fishing down
there. except the rowing. The first couple
of days rowing blstered my hands pretty
badly and l didn't feel very much like
tackling the oars on the second day. Yet
l wanted to fish. all the same. So started
for the river with the idea that I might be
able to pick UP some darby whom I could
engage to pull the skiff.
1.-THE only individual Of color that I S3st
on my way to the river was an extremely
dimfnutive and very black boy, not much
bigger than a pickaninny, who was throw
ing rocks at a vacated birds nest in q road
side tree.
Want to go fishing. SOM said to the
.'Yessuh.' he replied. without any hesi-
tation.
Come along them said I, and he trudg-
ed along with me to the rivers brink.
Il didn't think to ask him until we'd
reached the skif whether he could row or
not.
Can you row, boy?' 1 asked him, as he
followed me in to the boat.
He looked at me in a puzzled kind of
way. and 1t was about half minute before
he replied.
No. subj he said then.
Il was disappointed, Of course, but I
didn't want to turn the little chap away
after his anticipations Of fishing trip had
been aroused. and l concluded that he'd
keep me from getting lonesome out on the
water. anyway.
so 1 picked up the oars myself, pulled
out to the point near some fishermen 5
stakes, where l had fished the day before,
and started in to fish. They didn't appear
to bite very well that day, though, and SO
l rowed to another spot. Not much luck
In that place either-you've got to get the
tide just right down there on the lower
Potomac or you can't entice the fish with
chocolate creams-and so I yanked the
clumsy old f1at-bottomed skiff to still an
other spot. My blistered hands were pratty
sore by this time, but l was bound and
determined to get some fish one way or
another, and so l kept right on rowing
from spot to spot for the greater part If
the afternoon.
Finally, when my arms ached pretty
badly and my palms felt as if they had had
holes burnt into them with sulphuric acid
| made spot where the fish just fell over
themselves in their efforts to grab my hook
first. l corralled dozens Of fine, nifty rock
fish: When the sun started to go down |
said to the black boy, who was success
fully fishing himself up at the bow Of the
skif: One more and then enough for tile
day
Il caught the one more got him off my
hook, pulled up the piece of scrap iron that
served for an anchor and was about to
take the oar seat to pull for shore when
felt the skiff moving. l looked around. ard
there was that dininutive black boy seated
In the oar seat; and pulling the boat like a
veteran-and l had been increasing the size
of those hand blisters by rowing all the
afternoon.
Look here boy said 1, sternly to tile
little darby, L thought you told me before
We started out that you couldn't row?'
He looked at me with vast amusement.
No. sub. All didn't mean that sub, lie
said. All thought yo' all meant could All
roah-roah lax uh lion""