inconsequential items as a conventional matter wholly; and now having 
rod and line and bait I slip out at the rear of my house and slink around 
out of sight that no one see my implements of the chase (the aqueous 
chase), and sidle toward the river. 
I consider myself adroit to the point of genius in the matter of bait. 
I think | ought to say that. Brains will tell even in the matter of going 
fishing. While supposedly adroit fishermen keep every sort of fly and 
deception for beguiling wary fish, I, believing that I have not been 
weighted down with intellectuality for naught, sagaciously (I have under- 
scored that word, not through conceit, but through honest speaking), 
take for my bait mutton. This I do because mutton is so ambiguous, 
so versatile. When I have mutton (in my pocket tied up daintily as a 
man will tie things up, in a piece of newspaper, believing that even 
dead sheep should have culture opportunities), 1 can boldiy cast for all 
sorts of fish inhabiting lake or stream. For certain sturdy, aged, self- 
reliant fish, male fish, 
I bait with mutton and | 
can call it ram. This 
bait brings experience 
and pugilistic propen- 
sions to the hook. When 
I wish to catch young 
and tender fish I retain the same bait on my hook (I never change bait 
while it can remain on the hook. I think changing bait a breach of 
etiquette to the bait). While bait lasts it stays on my hook. | am 
courteous in all details of life. So here, I retain the bait, but speak in 
bleating tones and call it lamb. When I wish to approach bachelor fish 
with years of conquest and satiety on them I call the bait ewe. When 
] appeal to the gentler sex among the fish I call the bait wether. When 
] angle for plebeian fish I state with democratic candor, ‘‘ This is mut- 
ton." The result is practical all the same. I have equal success with 
the varied fish and varied ages, and I think you must see that I am not 
nagged by the occult study of what bait to use. And I am successful 
as success goes with me in a heterogenous fashion, and I have the 
feeling that in so doing | have exhibited a manly individuality even in 
baiting my hook. 
So with my versatile bait | set out. One rod and line suffice. I 
always have a cork because I like to see it bob. Things seen are 
mightier than things felt (quoted in part from some poet), and I enjoy 
85 
