That Soul Harrerrin' Happenin' 



to git this to ye so it won't sound like a jaybird's song 

 or look like a dish of foam from last year's beer. 



I tell ye jest square out that I had to wait two 

 months before tellin' of this here turrible an' calamitus 

 happenin,' an' right now, when the mem'ry should be 

 sorter softened, as 'twere, I'm in sech a twitter that 

 the ole corn-cob won't stay fired up, seems like. Now, 

 don't enny of ye git nervous I'm a comin' to it, as 

 the flivver sez when it was ketchin' up to a Packard. 

 She comes hard, though, I tell ye, fellers, fer this here's 

 somethin' that ought to be kep' wrapped up in insense 

 an' mirr or in a holey of holeys whatever them 

 things is. I bin through a experience in which men 

 live a lifetime in a few seconds where fame undyin' 

 flapped her wings so durn close that I felt the breeze. 

 But let us on, as the little boys said when they was 

 beggin' a ride. 



Twas thus an' it was so an' I hope I keep 

 ca'm enuff to tell her so you'll git it without a interpiter. 

 It all happened down in Highlands County, Florida, 

 an* if I was to tell you the name o' this lake it would 

 sound jest like the nom de plum of a lots of others 

 yeVe heerd, I betche, times without number. Well, it 

 was Grass Lake, if ye're so durned anxious to know. 

 But I tell ye it won't do ye a bit o' good, as the 

 horrible an' soul-harrerrin' sekal will show. Mebbe 

 you fellers that is fishermen'll understand after readin* 

 the rest o' the lines, so I'll begin to start. They's a 



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