One night there was a rain almost heavy enough to be called a cloudburst and the next morning all the low places on the plantation were flooded two feet deep. Passing his tenant’s cabin, Captain Walker found him seated in an easy chair at the kitchen door fishing in a small puddle of muddy water that had formed there.
“Henry, you old fool,” said Captain Walker, “what are you doing there?”
“Boss,” said Henry, “I’s jes’ fishin’.”
“Well, don’t you know there are no fish there?” demanded Captain Walker.
“Yas, suh,” said Henry; “I knows dat. But this yere place is so handy!”
§ 176 Doing Something for the Patient
Frank McIntyre, the plump comedian, played vaudeville dates one season. One night after his turn he dropped into a short-order restaurant near the theatre for a bite, before going to bed. Sitting next to him was a former circus acrobat, who did a horizontal-bar act on the same bill with McIntyre.
The acrobat was sawing away at the sinewy knee-joint of a fried chicken leg. Though the knife was sharp and he was athletic, he made but little headway.
He waved his arm toward a bottle of ketchup which stood upon the counter near McIntyre’s elbow.
“Say, bo,” he requested, “pass de liniment, will you? De sea gull’s got de rheumatism.”