The Tupelo journal., 1910-08-12
GOING
FISHING

But ! don't see the point" pro.
tersted the summer rceorter.
The young man with bis foot rest
ing on the lower step and two fish,
poles over his shoulder shock his head
patiently.
Haven't | Just explained" he said,
that when one goes to the country
OF must indulge in outdoor sports,
and that fishing is included in the
category? Given a perfectly good lake
full of trusting little fish, why not
fish? If one does not fish why not
stay In town where n can order fish
planked and then complain to the
waiter? Do try to be In keeping with
your surroundings. Just at present
you are, theoretically, surrounded by
shiny bass begging to be caught"
I'm mott" declared the summer re-
sorter, fatty. I'm surrounded by a
gale of wind direct from the north
pole and I'm freezing to death and I
want to go back to the log fire inside
the cottage from which you called me!
You may think this is June, but I'll
tell you 1t isn't-it's the middle of
winter!"
f"Oh, come on" begged the man on
the lower step. Honest, fishing isn't
half bad. Besides, It's no fun to go
alone!"
This is perfectly idiotic!" grumbled
the summer resorter ten minutes later
as she tramped along in sweater and
old coat. her nose pink and her eyes
weeping from the wind. I'm frozen
clear through and l loathe fishing any
how, and, besides, any self-respecting
fish would stay at home on a day like
this! I'd have no regard. not the
slightest, for a weak-minded fish that
would 60 deliberately wandering
around in the ice water looking for
bait merely to be accommodating
when 1t could just as well as not stay
In the nice warm mud at the bottom
of the lake! shouldn't care to eat
a fish like that. really! Don't you
think it is going to snow?"
ITS really too cold to snow" ad-
mitted the young man. If 1t could
storm icebergs I'd be willing to
prophesy those, but not just plain or
binary snow. All the horses at our
place are blooming out in winter coats
of heavy fur. Still, the fish don't mind
that, because you can cut holes in the
ice in winter and get them, You know"
"B-r-r!" shivered the summer re-
sorter as they rounded the outskirts
of the woods and came out on the
lake front. I'm glad to discover
what you call pleasure! OF course.
If You had invited me to go On a merry
little jaunt through a c~oid-storage
plant or something like that | would
have known what to expsct. Fshins
has always been represented to me
as an agreeable way Of killing time. !
don't see anything agreeable about
this. l wish l had brought my furs!"
I'VE aren't fishing yeti" said the
young man, patiently. I'VE arc mere
ly on the way. The zest OF the sport
will"
sorter. How was | to know that
horrid hook was swinging loose? Ii
you tear my best puffs getting it out
I'll never forgive you as long as |
live!"
Then you'll have to unpin them and
let them dargle on the hook" said the
young man, shortly. They may at
tract the fish"
"Yank it out!" commanded the sum
mer ~resorter, fercely. 81 hate fish,
hooks! heard OF q girl once who got
a fshhook caught in her ear when she
was a child and they couldn't get 1t
out and she had TO 80 through life
that way"
TOO bad she couldn't unpin her ear
as you can your puifs," said the young
man, unsympathetical.y. Now, you
sit on the box and III bait your hook"
UGH" said the summer resorter.
There must be- something wrong with
a human being who can handle angle
worms and act as though he liked it!
Doesn't 1t make creeps so down
your spine?"
NO." said the young man, callous-
ly. I'm Just as wrong as they make
'em! y Pardon me, but fish as a rule
don't skate along the surface of tie
WATERFORD better lower your Hne!"
Truly" said the sunmer resorter
through her chattering teeth, ARE you
having a good timer"
She stared questioningly at the
young mar who sat hunched up be-
side her wrapped in a disreputable
heavy coat and with a pipe between
his teeth.
YES, indeed he declared, cheer
fully. Aren't you! This is great!"
"1'm not" said the summer resorter.
uncompromisingly. And the lake is
getting rougher and rougher and
pretty soon It WILL splash over this
pier and wash our stiffened corpses
away-oh, what's the matter?"
"Gotabite!" said the young man,
running the words together. What a
nice bass! Put 1t into the basket"
He rebaited his hook and then as
the summer ~resorter didn't come back
to her seat, he looked around.
WlaC III cTedllOu are YOU OOlHg
he reared.
Sending this poor little fish back
home" she said, coolly, as she dropped
It into the lake. TIT looked so
little and sort of lonesome. Can't you
catch them bigger than that?"
The young man looked at her and
set his jaw. Then he arose resignediy.
Come on" he said, "and we'll go back
to the log fire. l don't believe l care
much about fishing today"