64 OLD BLACK BASS 



a sort of formal appellation for social con- 

 venience; and the nickname, a spontaneous 

 description of the impression one is making 

 on his fellows. Thus his mother calls him 

 Jacob, but to his fellow twelve-year-olds 

 he is Fatty; the family Bible records him as 

 Samuel, but to his playmates he is Red. 



Fish have no formal names, but all are 

 nicknamed. One is Gloria because of the 

 soft sweetness of her disposition, or Spot 

 because of a queer mark on the cheek, or 

 Gap on account of a funny gasping way he 

 had of breathing. So it was Old Black 

 Bass because he was adult in his reactions 

 and sour in disposition. 



The school took advice from him, but 

 were intimate not at all; respected his 

 strength as fearing his anger; curbed the 

 growing hatred toward him only as though 

 biding a better time. 



In May came the mating urge. Just as 

 spring draws the green leaf from dark twig, 

 or morning the sunflower's heart to East, so 

 the warming waters brought to life the 

 mating impulse. On its coming Leaper and 

 Gloria swam gayly away. Clumsy and 

 Wall-eye, Spot and Wriggle, Darter and 



