On the Banks of the Avon 65 



ment to recall that and appeal to, not advise, you 

 Mr. Farmer — land o' goodness! if you've got a 

 small boy about the place and he wants to go 

 fishing, let him fish. If he's got a memory, and 

 most folks have, when he gets to be a "grey- 

 haired boy," the happiest recollection that he'll 

 have will be of fishing days, and he will remember, 

 too, the attitude that his father held about his de- 

 sires in that regard. Pardon this personal refer- 

 ence but it's one of my kindliest recollections of 

 my own father, that he never took a fishing pole 

 out of my youthful hands. 



It's the call of nature, you know, when a boy 

 wants to go fishing. Harken to this : 



Don't you hear the creek a-callin': 

 "Bring your bait an' fishin' pole, 

 Bass an' shiners jes' a-loUin' 

 In the deep an' shady hole." 



Dad's a-yellin' from the stable, 

 "Son, get out the team an' plough"; 

 Ma's a-callin' 's loud she's able, 

 "Jo, come quick an' milk the cow." 



Stranger, supposin' we swapped places 

 An' them three was callin', "Jo!" 

 Don't you think you'd jump the traces, 

 Grab yer fishin' pole an' go? 



SMALL BOY DOESN't TELL FISH STORIES 



It is not the small boy, you know, who deals in 

 fish stories. He is too intent on results to bother 



