| Show WHAT HE WAS FISHING FOR Mystery on Mare Island That Had toDo toDo to toDo Do With Private McCall and the Rain Barrel Captain Bobs pushed his chair a n little way from the table stirred his bis coffee reflectively and listened to the surgeon and paymaster as they wrangled wrangled wran wran- o. o r a a. question of ot international law He heard little little- of ot their conversation conversa Bobs Dabs seldom seldom sel sel- tion sensibly but Captain dom dam in his Idle moments ever over did hear things sensibly One word however opened the casket cas cas' ket kei of his memory an and soon ho had begun his ac accustomed drawl to attract attract attract at at- tract the attention of alt all the officers at his end of ot the table Speaking of fish reminds remindS' me of a atrue atrue atrue true story he le began writes Giles Bishop Jr in iii Argosy It was vas while I was a second lieutenant lieu lieutenant tenant of marines and stationed at Mare Island that this thing thing- occurred One day while officer of ot the guard I 1 noticed that all the men were shaking hands with Private McCall I Inquired Into the cause and the sergeant sergeant ser ser- geant told me that McCall had nad Just received a letter from his hla home in Colorado saying that a baby named John McCall Jr had made Its appearance appearance appear appear- ance In the household McCall was Joyous all day The next afternoon he did not go to town on liberty but roamed aimlessly about the barracks silent and gloomy He kept this up for two or three days His behavior from a military standpoint was exemplary About a n week later the sergeant of the guard came to me as I was sitting sitting sit sit- ting in fn the O. O Ds D.'s office writing up my guard report and asked If he might Ight speak to me about aboul one off orr the men Private It lt was about this same McCall For three days McCall McCan had been b ecu seen fishing in the rain barrel barret atthe atthe at atthe the corner of the guardhouse He held beld absolutely no conversation with anyone and Ignored all th their lr questions bore their chaff chaft without r re resentment Anxious to seo see this curious freak of the soldiers I asked if he was fishing fish ing at that time and being assured that such was the case I sauntered out on the parade Sure enough there ther sat McCall with a slender pole hook and lIne line- line line-at at at- g. fishing I repeated repealed the circumstance to the officer of the da day and together we walked up to the fisherman 14 4 What are r you you l McCall asked the O. O D D. Fishing sir was the reply man jumped to attention and saluted Well Vell sir I thought I might catch IL I Private McCall Fished in Rain Barrel something I wouldn't have havo fished here sir sir if It I had thought there'd be beany beany beany any objections II Oh no nogo go ahead and fish but bu you wont won't catch anything said said the O. O D. D Thank you sir I may said McCall Mc Me Call and as we turned away the man mail solemnly dropped his line Une again For a week longer the same thing happened Every idle IdIe moment in li spite of the gibes of the men and nc at success as to fish Private McCal fished In in the rain barrel Finally the matter was reported t te the kom McCall McCaIl came up for office hours but the examination elicited nothing beyond the fact tact that he ho might catch something A report of the matter was sent to the commandment of the station A survey was ordered and the tho three med medical cal officers on it watched McCall McCal first and ques questioned him afterwards afterwards' They found him sane upon all su subjects sub sub- except this one thing thing fishing fishing in the rain barrel harrel Finally they decided to give him a disability discharge and shortly after It was delivered to him When the boat for foi the mainland left that afternoon McCall stood on the deck looking at the tho men who had hac gathered on the landing to say goodbye good I bye As the steamer shoved off i u a broad grin spread over oyer his face then waiving his discharge In one hand ane and his hat in the other he yelled Good bye boys Im I'm going going- home homo to see sec the tho kid Ive I've been fishing for this for far two months Good |
