82 
BEE-CULTURE. 
each thinking if the other can catch fish, why cannot I. Both 
become quiet; presently out flops a hig sucker — curving 
through the air and down through the branches into the 
grass. The hook is soon returned, when something immedi- 
ately seizes and starts off with it. The self-satisfied youth at 
the hig end of the pole gives it a whirl and out comes the 
pumpkin seed or sun-fish. The other sits half patiently, wait- 
ing his turn of luck, but succeeds in getting nothing but a 
provoking little nibble, as unsatisfying as the shake of the 
hand of a friend who seizes your hand with his thumb and 
finger. The unsuccessful boy concludes the fish must all be 
where his companion is, and scats himself beside him, and 
thrusts his book down by his ; hut all to little purpose. The 
other continues to pull out first a silver-side, next a pike, 
then a cat-fish — each seeming determined to swallow his 
hook and run off with it. He succeeds apparently without 
effort; whilst his more laborious companion succeeds in catch- 
ing only one or two minnows ; and after getting his hook fas- 
tened, first on a snag, then on the limb of a tree, he concludes 
there is no luck for him that day, and throws his fish back in 
the water and goes home, reporting that he had not been 
fishing. But should the boy even after two or three such 
failures conclude that he could never be a fisher, we would 
mark him as defective in courage and self-respect. The 
elements or the nature of things are not going to change in 
order to discommode any one. If any man can succeed, why 
not I. 
