Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-06
The Big Fellow.

Old Man Patterson was going a
fshing. Time was when he went al
most eveEy pleasant day throughout
thc Se. son. He always went to the
mill pond. where the speckled and
brown trout lay in the deep holes
where The water was coolest. The old
man knew tho spot the hig fellow
liked hest, and even on days when
The Ash were not 'hitin' good" he
usually could set enough for a meal
fnr himself and Matte.
Put he had not been going fish
inS lately. Matte had grown toe
weak 10 he left alone, and even on
those days when old Mrs, Moore came
10 sit with her he had not gone, He
could not find bait The season had
been SO dry that the earthworms had
gone down So deep that he had not
Sfrencth 10 dig for them, and the law
forbade fishing with trout minnows
old Man Patterson had a great re
Sncct for the law. And. as he Was
not strong enough 10 walk to The
stream were he might have got
sinners" for bait he did not so fish
Ing any more.
OF course there were flies. The
sportsmen from the cities used those.
R0t flies cost money. and Old Man
Patterson had no money: just the cot
tage were he and Matte lived that
was mort gagged for all II Was worth.
He was past So and Matte WAS near
inS that; and they got help from the
county.
Matte did not know that. The Old
man would rather have starved than
taken it for himself; but there Was
Matte. She had 10 have food. and
4.
would not hire him. So IL had seemed
+ho only ching 10 do. hut Matte still
thought he made gardens for people.
Today he MAS coinG fishing,
Matte was 50 weak that she did not
cot IN any more. and the old man
was very unhappy II only she could
cat That morning, when he had
begged her To Try ~ eat a Ittie
breakfast. she had said; II just can I
cat. Henry Maybe II had some ilsh.
Thay ALWAYS taste good" And he had
made a great resolve.
So. after he had tided up the house
and fixed Matte comfortably he took
his fishing pole and scoop net
and went 30 the mill pond He knew
ltttle nlaces where the trout minnows
ran away from the big fish.
He felt tremendously excited. FOR
was ne NOT gnfT~ ~ DttAh ttiS t'N
Al the first scoop he picked mp bali n
dozen r1innows. which WAS all he
needed and going 10 his favorite spot
under the white birch tree. he cast
his hook over deep pool where he
knew a big fellow was wont 10 hide.
Across the pond Jake Piper sat
fishing. The old man was glad he
was not any nearer. He did not like
Jake Piper He was too nosey: al
WAYS trying to be the first 10 find
things out Jake didn't like the old
man. either He was jealous OF his
fishing prowess. No matter how hard
he tried he could not catch az fine
strings OF trout as Old Man Patter-
son.
The old man sat very still. for you
must be very quiet If you want TO
s.atc3? trout. and the sun felt good on
his rheumatic old limbs. II only Mat
tie had been we'll he. would have been
very content One does not worry
much al SO past.
He Was just thinking Of trying an
other spot. when he felt a tug on
the line. and the pole was nearly
1erlSed from his hand. He tremhled
with excitement. This must be the
big fellow every one was hoping 10
get. He had grand and exciting
fight before he landed him. and when
he did his hands shook 50 he could
scarcely remove the hook. 4 big
brown trout, Is inches long, and deep
shoaidered. He sat gloating over it.
Such a beauty, Now maybe Matte