Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-04-14
A WICKED SHAME.
John Quill BeguiIed Into Prevaricat-
ing by Fisherman.
Induced Him 20 Sacrifice His Reputa =
ton and Hard Coin.

1t is pretty generally conceded tnat
about every amateur fisherman VINO
vets a l;ae or browns Il worm mas a
special permit or dispensation holding
good while the fishing season lasts TO
prevaricate on any ana all OCCASIONS,
and when telling fish stories they real
iZe that the truth should not be spoken
at all times. This special permit or
license good for the season, is-supposed
to- come FROM the chief high muck-a-
muck the late lamented Ananias, who
tiourished like II green bay tree some
years ago, ana whose descendants are
still with US i'm the flesh promoting oil
and copper schemes that pay 40 per
cent. ten cent Investment. But
this special permit does not permit of
the appointment of sub agents with full
power to prevaricate and fiirt with the
truth.
Now a case happened the other day
where a prevaricatOr had some qualms
of conscience about handling the truth
in Il careless manner and so roped the
scribe in to do the lying and the
scribe, "a guileless, innocent Abigail,
walked into the trap like any soft mark
and not only did a land Office business
in the preVaricatory line but backed it
up with good, hard coin of the realm
which is now jingling in some other
fellows pocket. And this is the way
it happened.
A party went out to one of the
neighboring ponds, the other day, to
do "a little fishing. They had about the
average fifherrpans. luck and when
they had driven into the borough in the
shades of the evening they had enough
real estate plastered on them to found
Il township, and three fish, two small
ones and one fair sized one, that looked
as if it might weigh three pounds or
so. They hatched up5the scheme COM
ing in and on arrival hunted me up
and told "a long story about how they
had had a dispute while driving ill.,
about the weight of the big fish and
wanted me to put it on the scales and
not only settle the dispute but in case
any one doubted their veracity could
truthfully testify to the exact weight,
so like a lamb being led to the slaugh-
ter | let those finn fam artists do me
up brown.
The miniature whale was placed on
the scales and | weighed it to a frac-
ton, pounds, 5 ounces. / admit
was somewhat surprised at its weight
but | knew the scales couldn't lie. If
the fishermen did, 50 took it for Cos
pei truth that which my eyes saw must
be so. Then those bunco steerers
started out and told stories about that
fish and referred them to me. | told
more people about the weight of that
fish than there are Socialists, in, Maine.
and when any doubling Thorlases
questioned my word. up Vert my hard
coin and the other fellow either put W
or took back water. | had enough
money up in the ttW2 days to buy ar
Easter honaet ard hsf hescigar cror
of Havana was practically mine wher
something sdr9pred. 11wondered if
fell or was l pushed. !, think the lat
ter for somebody w3p. sSes more eS>
serving than yours truly" discovered
that the fish was troubled with ar
over abundandes Of fat In other words
was decidedly out or proportion and or
close inspection 1 discovered that some
'kuss," who was fast mellowing for
the gibbet, had, with malice afore-
thought, poured into said fish about
312 pounds of shot, which accounted
for the milk in the cocoanut or tine ex
ira over abundance of fat in the fish
which gave it the aldermanic proper
ton that / had admired so much.
My friend, the fisherman. tried to
convince me that shot was the regular
diet for fresh water fish, in fact, that
it is what they live :on 365 days out
of the year. But no sheep bites me
twice and lives to a green old age and
the next time any smooth herb in the
shape of an amateur fisherman with
wonderful conVersat ional power asks
me to weigh any fish | shall gently but
firmly decline and refer them to the
gunsmith or somebody who is well VI
in the powder and shot business.
have retired from the business. having
had my license revoked. --,,.i-----f
~ .kNHs