The news boy., 1896-06-20

thoughts elsewhere. For all such things
are, at the best; of fleeting interest, and
do not stir men otherwise than senti-
mentally; but the old. kindly love of
field-sports, the joy in the smell of the
earth and the living air, lie very close
to mans heart. So this apostate, as he
cleaned his turnip rows. was filled with
the excitement of the sport, and had
no thoughts above the memory of past
exploits and the anticipation of greater
to come.
Midday came, and with it his release.
He roughly calculated that he could
go to the town, vote, and be back in two
hours, and so have the evening clear
for his fishing. There had never been
such a day for the trout in his mem-
ory, SO cool and breezy and soft, nor
had he ever seen so glorious water.
"If ye dinna get fou basket the nicht,
an feed the morn, William Laverhopc,
your RIGHT hand has forgot it's cunning"
said he to himself.
He took the rod carefully out. put it
together, and made trial casts on the
green. He tied the flies OIL cast and
put it ready for use in his own primitive
fy-book, and then bestowed the whole
in the brcast-pocket of his coat. He
had arrayed himself in his best, with
white rose in his button-hole, for it
behooved a man to be well-dressed on
such an occasion as voting. But yet he
did not start. Some fascination in the
rod made him linger and try it again and
again.
Then he resolutely laid it down and
made to go. But something caught his
cye--the swirl of the stream as it left
the great pool at the bayfield,, or the
glimpse of still, cleaning water. The
impulse was too strong to be resisted.
There was time enough and to spare.
The pool was on his way to the town,
he would try one cast ere he started,
just to see if the water was good. So,
with the rod on his shoulder, he set
off.
Somewhere in the background n man,
who had been watching his movements,
turned away, laughing silently. and fill
ing his pipe.
a great trout rose to the fly in the
bayfield, pool, and ran the line up
stream till he broke it. The pIowman
swore deeply, and stamped on the ground
with aggravation. His blood was up,
and he prepared for battle. Carefully,
skillfully he fished with every nerve on
tension and ever-watchful eyes. Mean
while, miles off in the town, the hustle
went on, but the eager fisherman by
the river needed it not.
Late in the evening, just at the dark
ening, figure arrayed in Sunday
clothes, but all wet and mud-staincd.
came up the road to the farm. Over
his shoulder he carried a rod, and in
one hand a long string of noble trout.
But the expression on his face was not
triumphant; settled melancholy over
spread his countenance, and he groaned
as he walked.
Mephistopheles stood by the gar
den gate, smoking and surveying his
fields. A we'll satisfied smile hovered
about his mouth, and his air was the
air of one well at ease with the world.
"Weel, I see ye've had guild sport"
said he to the melancholy Faust. BY
the-by, I didna notice We in the toun.
And Josh! man, what in the world have
ye dune to your guild claes?"
The other made no answer. Slowly
he took the rod to pieces and strapped it
up; he took the fly book from his pock-
ct; he selected two fish from the heap.
and laid the whole before the farmer.
'Ihere ye are" said he, "aallrTs~
verra much obleeged to you 40. -.
But his tone was one OF
desperation and not of gratitude, and
his face, as he went onward, was study
In eioquence repressed. = Chambers
Journal.
At the Seaside Hotel.
Dora (shyiy)--I became engaged to
Mp Afhar.f<.x. L., l.