OF A LARGEST TROUT 299 



A long time ago one of the undeserving rich, a 

 person like myself, must have been faced with the 

 same difficulty. Looking upon the ancestor of 

 Old Bunting he must have reflected thus : " In a 

 short time the fellow will notice something and 

 will then proceed to take all my property away 

 from me and hand over to me his in exchange, 

 reserving only for himself that large and exceed- 

 ingly sharp scythe." Being, unlike myself, a man 

 of extraordinary cleverness, he must have gone to 

 Old Bunting's ancestor, and told him that Industry 

 was the source of Happiness. Old Bunting's ances- 

 tor, knowing himself to be excellently industrious, 

 must have been pleased, and never having had 

 time to think for himself, must have accepted 

 the statement on the word of the well-dressed 

 gentleman. Once incorporated with the mental 

 equipment of Old Bunting's ancestor the thing 

 would be handed down through the Bunting 

 generations until it has reached Bunting, our 

 contemporary. 



That might account for it. 



It is certainly inconceivable that the idea could 

 have originated among the deserving poor. 



I have said that I was extremely pleased when 

 I landed my greatest trout. 



I am also extremely pleased that I am one of 

 the undeserving rich. 



