We reached the City with our five and a half pound 

 bass that evening and my boy and I had planned to 

 keep it alive in a tub at home all night, if it 

 survived the train ride of an hour and a half. 

 All the fresh air possible was afforded it, and it soon 

 had full vigor when turned under the spigot. The 

 water was allowed to drip upon it all night long and 

 to run off proportionately, so that the bass was alive 

 in the morning. About noon I sent a novice as a 

 messenger to take the fish down to the White House 

 for Mr. Cleveland. When the messenger reached our 

 home and discovered the enormity of the fish and with 

 instructions to "bring it down alive," he was at his 

 wits end how to secure it. He and the servant girl 

 worked for an hour trying to catch the fish so as to 

 lift it out of the tub. As their arms would extend 

 the fish would splash and dash ferociously. Finally 

 it occurred to the messenger to permit the water to 

 run out of the temporary lake. This he did and then 

 he had no trouble to land his fish. He brought it 

 to me wrapped in a clean towel, well dampened with 

 water all in a deep new straw basket. Thus it went 

 to Assistant Secretary Pruden at the White House. 

 Mr. Pruden told me he immediately proceeded with 

 the package to the Cabinet room where the President 

 and his advisers were seated, and that on entering 

 he remarked, "Mr. President, a friend sends you a 

 fine bird," at which the fish jumped out of the basket. 

 It was captured and turned over to the President's 

 driver with instructions to have it knocked in the head 

 and prepared for dinner. My son's importance was 

 more apparent after this catch than formerly, and I 

 suggested that if he lived and did not forget the 

 incident and Mr. Cleveland lived he might pay him 



