New Britain herald., 1916-12-21
How Madge Caught Her First Fish and What Happened When Dicky
 Saw Her Instructor,

HOW MauSc SauSnC Her E1fSI II loH
 and What Happened When Dicky
 Saw Her Instructor.
 ened into mysteries when the bearded man whose face I had last seen peer ing wildly at Dicky and me through the underbrush, came toward me as I sat on a rock by the side of the noun tain stream waiting for Dicky, and asked me why I was not fishing.
 I was amazed that my only emotion upon hearing the question, and look ing into the mans face was one of pity. But the child-like quality that I had noticed in his voice before turned and recognized him was even more strongly marked in his face and his great mournful brown eyes. I had no more fear of him than would have had of a gentle boy
 I had time for a comprehensive look at him before I answered his question. He was a man of average height and of spare frame, on which worn but neat clothes hung as if the man had wasted from former flesh. When he had looked wildly at us through the underbrush I had thought his beard was brown, but as I looked again saw that while it and his hair were now heavily streaked with silver. His face was pale and almost emaciated, but his eyes could not have changed since his long-past boyhood. Gentleness and goodness looked out from them, together with an indefinable something else which told me that the brain behind those eyes was more or less clouded
 He had fixed his eyes on the water a he asked the question of me- When I did not at once answer, he turned to me again.
 "Is it that you do not like to fish ?' he asked as if puzzled.
 I answered him truthfully I felt iaexplicab1y that it would be as inn possible to give him an evasive answer cIild's questioning.
 1T should very much like to fish, but I do not know how,' I returned.
 ''Where is the man?' This was his next question, and I resolved to find out the reason of his unreasoning flight up the hillside when he had first caught sight of Dicky and me.
 Do you mean the man who was
 
 hiIl?" I asked.
 He hung his head as a small boy caught in a fault might have done.
 "I was frightened at first" he 1numbled. 'I thought it was the people my sister is so afraid of. I always run when I see anybody that looks like them. Then I kept on watching you and you looked so kind and good I knew you weren't one of those people. But there was a man with you. Why has he gone away and left you alone? Who Is he?"
 **He is my husband,' I returned quietly. ''He has gone up the stream a little way to try his luck. Then he is comins back"
 '*Wou1dn't you like to catch fish while he is eone?" the gentle voice went on. "I know how to cast very we'll and I should be charmed to teach you.''
 The oddness of the mans courtly words in contrast to his child like de- meanor affected me curiouslv. It was almost like hearing the catch phrases of society from the lips of large doll. I was about to refuse when I met the mans eyes. They were shin ing 1uminous1y at me. filled with eagerness. To have refused his offer would have been like depriving a child of some pleasure.
 The First Cast.
 '"Thank you,' I said quietly. You are very kind I shall be glad to have you teach me
 He came down the bank eagerly and picked up the rod lying by my side
 You do not need to move from where you are standing,' he said. had arisen from my seat upon the stone when he came down the bank. Just take the rod in your hand so. He placed the rod in my hand and put my thumb against the reel. His touch was gentle and delicate as a woman's
 'Look,' he directed. '"This releases the reel. When you cast be careful not to let your line get tangled among the stones, or caught in the trees over your head Just lift your rod in this fashion-so.' He raised my fingers as they clasped the rod, and illustrated his meaning.
 I lifted my rod, and made my first attempt at casting, Dicky, my sur roundings, everything forgotten in my excitement at having realized a long, cherished dream. At my first attempt only a tiny bit of line unreeled, with my second the line flew over my head and the flies caught in the underbrush. Nv unknown friend carefully and patiently untangled them, arranged the reel and put the rod in my hand again.
 'Don't get discouraged he said in his curiously n1elodious voice. "All beginners do those things at first
 And Dicky Arrived
 My next attempt was more credit able, and for fully ten minutes I practised diligently under the scrutiny of my companion, whom even my in racOo1ized skilled