io8 With Fish-Lines and Nets 



incomparably finer than that of a lobster, while 

 the scientific opening of a crab has all the 

 charm of a surgical operation. 



To those who contend that crabs are deadly 

 poison, especially if eaten after dark, I can only 

 say that I have experimented upon myself and 

 upon a number of other people's children with- 

 out unpleasant results. A crab (cooked) is one 

 of the favorite playthings of babies in this 

 neighborhood. It is said that milk and crabs, 

 when taken together, raise a tempest inside of 

 one. Again I may say that I have experi- 

 mented and escaped. The probability is, that 

 people who eat crabs with vinegar and other 

 rich sauces ought not to drink milk at the same 

 time. 



How to handle a crab is a subject better 

 taught by actual experience than by directions. 

 It is not so difficult a matter as most people 

 suppose, and the ladies who would no sooner 

 meet a crab than some terrible beast of prey 

 say a mouse are all wrong. I have known a 

 whole earful of people utterly demoralised by 

 a few poor timid little crabs. During the sum- 

 mer some friends who went crabbing with me 



