Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-07
HEATHER.
by WILLIAM BLACK.
AUTHOR or "JupITH SHAKEsFEARE." "A
pRtNcEss or Thule MACLEOD
or DARE" ETC

VI phhh' VIZ
I'm AFRAID / uon't eaten on quite" SAID
she, unconsciously adopting one of her
fathers phrases.
"patience-patience, said he: and
again he gripped her hand in his, and the
line seemed TO run out clear with the gen
tlest possible forward movement.
And then he put out more line, and
still more and more. until every backward
and upward swOop of the rod and every
forward cast was accompanied by "a
"swish y through the air This WAS all
very well, and she was throwing beauti-
full clean line: but she began to wonder
when the bones in her right hand would
suddenly suCcumb and be CrunChed into
jelly The weight of the rod--.which
seemed mighty engine to her,did not
tell on her, for his one hand did the whole
thing. but his grip was terrible; and yet
she did not like to speak.
"Now try for yourself" said he; and
he stepped aside
81 did not hurt youl' said he, in great
concern; .,
in song she said, lightly. "lf | am to
catch salmon with a tly-rod, suppose |
have got to go through something
She set to work again, and, curiously
enough, she seemed to succeed better with
lDp longer llllt lnul WIFI VIC SHUT Out
There was less Jerking the forward
movement was more even; and though
she was far indeed from throwing good
line, it was very passable for beginner.
"You know said she, giving him a
good humorcd hint, :" don't feel like do
ing this all day
"Well, then, We'll go down to the wa
ter now" said he and he took the rod
from her.
but the sky's is too bright: there's
ca hn1 fin tishipCr nc those II
white Clouds
They walked down through the swampy
grass and hard heather to the banks of
the stream, and here he got out his fly
book--a bulged and baggy volume much the
worse for wear and weather. And then it
instantly occurred to her that this was
something she could get for him-the most
splendid fly book and assortment of salmon
flies to be procured III London-lntll 1t
Just as suddenly occurred to her that he
would have little use Tor these in Glasgow.
She saw him select a large black and
gold and scarlet object from that bulky
volume, and Il few minutes thereafter she
was armed for the fray, and he was
standing by watching.
Now the Mudal, though an exceedingly
" dour' salmon river, Is at least easy for
a beginner to fish, for there is scarcely
anywhere a bush along its level banks
And there Were the pools-some of them
deep and drumly enough in all conscience,
and no doubt there We're salmon in them,
if only they could lie induced from their
lair For one thing, Ronald had taken
her to Il part of the stream where she
could not in any case do much
harm by her preliminary whippings of
the water.
She began. not without some little eX-
element, and awful visions of triumph
and glory if she should really be able to
capture a salmon by her own unaided
skill. OF course she caught in the heather
behind her sometimes, and occasionally
the line would come down in Il CHASTITY
heap on the water: but then again it
would 90 fairly out and over TO the other
bank, and the letting it down with the
current and drawing it across-as he had
shown her in one or two casts-was a
comparatively easy matter She worked
hard at all events, and obeyed implicitly,
until, alas there came catastrophe:
"A little bit nearer the bank if ye
can, said he-"iust a foot nearer
She clinched her teeth. Back went the
rod with all her might, and forward again
with all her might; but midway and
overhead there was mighty crack like
that of a horsewhip, and calmly he re
garded the line as it fell into the water
The fly's gone, said he, but with moi
trace of veXation.
"Oh, Ronald, I'm so sorry ~ she cried
for she knew that these things were eX
pensive even where they did not involv,
considerable outlay OF personal skill ant
trouble.
@ Not at all l." said he, as he quietly sa
down on a dry bunch of heather and go
out his book again. "All beginners de
that. I'll just show ye in minute o.
two how to avoid it. And we'll try I
change now
Indeed, she was in no way loath to 81
down on the heather too; and even afte
he had selected the particular Childer
he wanted, she took the book, and would
have him tell her the names of all tn
various flies, which, quite apart from
their killing merits seemed to her beauti
full and interesting objects. And tnall
she said:
"Ronald my arms are little tired
Won't you try cast or two; | am SURE
should learn as much by looking on.
He did as he was bid, and she wen
The river was low; the day was clear
there was no wind. But at last they cam
to a part of the stream where there was
dark and deep pool, and below that
wide bed of shingle, while between tn
shingle and the bank was narlo'
and raced before breakin
out into the shadows. lie drew her lttl
back from the bank, and made her tax
the rod again.
"If there's a chance at all, it's there,
he said. "Do we see that stone owe
there Well, just try to drop the fly
foot above the stone, and let it get int
the swirl"
She made her first cast the line fell il
atangled heap, about three yards short,
"Ye've got out of the way of it, said b
and he took the rod from her let out
little more line, and then gave it he
again. standing behind her, his hand owe
gripping hers
- e. ~ / !