The San Francisco call., 1906-08-26

feet. Gee whiz, How cool and-and
moist it is here" he said sitting
down on a bunch Of seaweed.
Yes, we never feel the heat down
here" said the fish. Sometimes 1 won
der why people don't come to live in
the water-it's so cool and clean"
"Oh. they couldn't breathe here" ex-
planned Benny. And the water would
spoil their good clothes"
The fish made no reply to this. but
sat looking at Benny with a peculiar
expression in his eyes. Then whirling
himself nearer to Benny. he lifted a
fin and said: My young friend. want
to know why you people wish to catch,
kin and devour us. We never do any
harm to you"
Benny felt the warm blood rush to
his face. Il had never thought of it,"
he confessed. When 1 was only three
years old papa took me fishing with
him and let me hold the pole. That
was very long time ago, for l am now
10 years old, going on IL" And Benny
felt he must have made great impress
sion by stating such a ripe age. You
see" he went on, Il never was taught
to think anything about you fishes or
whether or not you cared if you were
caught"
Well. we don't relish being swal-
lowed" the fish remarked drily. You
can put yourself in our place and then
you may understand something more
about il. But don't want to talk
about so unpleasant a subject any more
during your call. You are my invited
guest and it behooves me to make you
have a pleasant time. Now I'm going
to call some of my friends to meet you
and help me to entertain you.'
Following this statement the fish
swan a little way down the bay
tapped his tail and ciapped his fins
together like a person clapping his
hands. The noise of switching tail and
clapping fms called a great crowd of
fish, crabs and Holsters together. They
came in groups, swimming through the
water merrly, chatting and laughing
together in their own fish, crab and
lobster fashion.
Benny was introduced to the callers,
bowling low before each and shaking
the fms of the fishes and the claws of
the crabs and lobsters- Then all sat on
the wet sand in the shadow of the long
pier, which served as a roof for them.
I'm sure I find it very pleasant to
meet you ALL, said Benny, with just a
touch of embarrassment. It's quite q
surprise 10 me 10 learn lndI uSDs lOD-
sters and crabs can talk and have feel
ings like-like-ahem, like people.
never suspicioned them of-of-of
knowing things like we do.
'Oh, the beings in the water are very
much like those of the land" observed
the big lobster, reaching out a long
claw and patting Benny on the shoul-
der. But there are some funny notions
concerning us among the Inhabitants of
dry land. For instance, I've heard it
said by boys and men who were here in
the water trying to catch us that we
have cold blood and cannot feel. They
say the favorite way of cooking us and
our little cousins the crabs is to plunge
US in boiling water while we are still
alive or put US in a broiler and hold us
over the Goals till we die a death of
slow and intense torture"
That's true said Benny. My NAM
ma always cooks Holsters and crabs
alive. But I'm sure she doesn't know
that it hurts you or she would not do
So I've heard her say that fish and
Holsters and crabs feel no physical
pain
suppose we hold the same ignorant
idea concerning you and your and"
said a crab that sat near one of Ben
ny's bare feet Suppose / sAould take