73. LXXIII.
A TRUE FISH STORY FOUNDED ON FAK
In a little town awa out wes whar i used tew liv,
thare wast two elders resided. One ov them wast a
Babtiss, Gaffit bi name, and the other wast a Methodis,
Sturgiss bi name, and both ov them wast as good
fellers as ever sarved the Lord. As good luk wud
hav it tha both had a revival ov religion in their floks
at the same time. Gaffit was a cunning critter, besides
being as harmless as the duv. Thare was but one
pond in the town, and that was used for babtizing by
agreement, on wensday ov each week, bi Gaffit, and
on saturday bi Sturgiss. One wensday, as Gaffit
was engaged in marking his sheep, or in uther wurds,
was bi the side ov the little pond ov water adminstering
the rite ov babtism tew a goodla number, whom
he had coaxed awa from the wiles ov the devil, Sturgiss
looked in upon the happy scene, with eys brimful
ov luv. Amung the menny who ware waiting
tew be babtized, Sturgiss diskovered sevral whom he
had convikted, and whom he expetked tew add tew
his flok on the cumming saturda. The nex da the
two elders met, Sturgiss charged Gaffit with the
pious fraud he had detekted bi the side ov the little
pond. Gaffit's eyes puckered with delite, as he listened
tew the charge, then seezin the methodis elder
bi the hand with an extra pucker in his eye, whispered:
“Brother Sturgiss, mi father larnt me when i
was but a little fisher-boy, tew string mi fish as fast
as i ketched 'em.”
