The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-11-18
NIL ABOUT THAT
TRUE FISH STORY
Robesonian Says Item Carried
Its Own Evidence of Truth
fuIneSS.

Thus the Raleigh News and OBJ
server:
The Lumberton R~obesonian gives
US this one:
Mr.. John T. Singletary, OF Back
Swamp. who was in town this morn
ing, says that out on his farm last
week after one Of the many heavy
rains he found a fish that looked TO BE-
a foot in length, and ii looked like a
trout, lying in the road summing. The
fish, which Mr.. Singletary thinks must
have ralned down, made good his es-
cape, going into a cotton patch where
there was both water and grass
This narration is headed "A True
Fish Story" We don't question its
~veracity. Truth was ever stronger
than fiction. The trouble with the
item to our mind is that with such a
fine basis Of fac The Robesonian left
so much to the Imagination. We are
tempted TO think indeed that The Rob-
esonian woul be cleverer in handling
an imaginary fish story than in
handling one which like Thu one is
founded on immutable truth.
There are a number Of questions
which suggest themselves in connec
ton with this true fish story. In the
first place, why did Mr.. Singletary let
the fish get away? "a he brought
the fish back home with him the
mouths of the cavaliers would have
been stopped. But he lost a golden
opportunity.
again, why the avidity Of a fish
for a cotton patch where there was
bath water and grass? We can un-
derStand that a fish would find water
desirable. but wha a fish wants with
grass was not made clear n thu
circumstance leave the reader in {
state of uncertainty.
Another thing, how did the fist
get from a high O where, we infe
from this true fish story. he was TAX
ing a sun bath, into the cotton patch
How do fish travel on land, any way
, 1--WE repeat, we do not mean t,
question the t~ruthfulness of this tru
: fish story. We just hate to see tn
possibilities Of a good news stor
neglected."
:, That's the way it always is. Le
! a body tell a plain unvarnished tru
story and somebody comes along an
= tells you that you ought to have toll
: it SO and 50, with more circumstance
forgetting that the details left o,
prove the truth of the story. A ma
= lying about seeing that fish woul
have imagined ali the details TT
News and Observer wants to knO
about: but as he was telling a MAJ
~velous tale for the truth Of which +
had 1.-The sensible and true avouch {
his own eyes," Mr.. Singletary We
= too astonished to tell more than III
bare facts. Why, consarn We, no
does a fish ever get from a high plao
;. in the road to a cotton patch full
a grass and water? How? We're asl
~ ing you. Don Q know? Hange
if we amt ASHAMED of your lack
y piscatory knowledge. And why d
w Mr.. Singletary let the fish get away
and why the avidity Of a fish for
cotton patch where there was bOt
water and grass" Pooh. That ",
20 an a~ble-bodied fish. and a wise;
40 when he saw Mr.. Singletary comm
No he winked the other eye and, as Il
boys in Mr.. Singletary's neck O q
to woods say, lit a rag" for the friend
cotton patch where there was waite
he didn't care a hang about the gra:
We are surprised at the lack
ms knowledge of things piscatorial d
PLAYED by the editor of the "Old r
70 liable" Why, like as not you'd wa
I'd to be asking if the rabbits down II
r way that make a habit Of going
nv swimming in Lumbe river wear bat
ing suits.