Year: 1872

leading me strong and blowing gal
]op over not too easy country, amit
tho alternate scouts from Simon o


Let out your line ~ "Haul in quick
ly!" Keep your point up !" Their
! was a bound OF some feet into the air


The !" fash " perhaps feeling intuitive
ly that was a little green, and imagin
ing that should now keep, as I hao
fall back into the water to break my
line. To meet this move Simon had
coached me; SO, suddenly dropping
the point of my rod nearly to the wa.
ter, I slackened everything, and then,
getting all taut again, the moment he
returned to the water the peril was sur.
mounted.


In this not difficult water wherein to
kill fish,-a long, deep pool, where
You could not come to much grief so,
after he had repeated his lodges fol
about five minutes, fancying the battle
was nea1ly y over, I tried to get him down
toward the shadows at the lover end OF
the pool, for the purpose of giving
Simon a fair chance of using his gafi
with success.


By degrees I got him down, and his
struggles were becoming fainter and
fainter, and had nearly succeeded in
my object, when he made his last ef-
fort, which, though 1t was but faint
one, succeeded in breaking my line just
below the point of the rod; for had
evidently thought him safe, and had
grown careless 10 Simon's repeated in
junction to keep all taut.


Down went the line into the water,
and up went the point of my rod. Oh!
what reaction in my feeling! How.
ever, quick as lightningI rushed into
the stream, and, never having lost sight
of the line, succeeded in catching hold
OF it. So there I was, up to my waist
in water, holding on with both hands
to now nearly exhausted fish few
yards of, and Simon alternately laugh
ing and swearing on the bank.


But oh, horror of horrors, what
should greet me now but a sudden
shout of hideous laughter; and on
looking to see whence it proceeded,
there were my tormentors, the whole
party from the house, seated on a rock
high up in the wood, splendid spot,
from which they could as they doubt
less had done, witnessed all my ma
neuvres. But, not to be daunted, and
apparently not needing them, BREATH
lessly held on, until the fish was quite
beat; and then gradually drawing him
down to nearly where I stood, Simon
rushed in and gated him; and I land
landed my first salmon, fine, clean
run fish of about twenty pounds
weight.


And, to do my tormentors Justice, q
tremendous cheer now took the place
OF the laughter, as my reward, and,
conspicuous among the voices, was the
musical bravo of one dear little soul I
loved so well. Well down they came,
and after congratulatory remarks, in
Guiding the drinking of the fish's health
by Simon in his own native whisky,
and the reception by my head of a we'll
aimed bean.bag (by and by, observed
Eltin had one in her hand, but,
somehow or other. she neglected to
throw it), we all started back up the
wood on our return home.


I hardly think Ineed say much more
except that, from some cause or an
other, OF which I am totally ignorant,
perhaps, or excitement,-
loitered somewhat behind the rest of
the party, and by strange coincidence
Film seemed tired also. I really do
not know how it happened, or what was
said or done: but I know this, that be-
fore we reached the house she had
promised to be-when had quite
learned how to play bean-bags-my own
dear little wife. Can you wonder now
at my vivid recollection have of the
landing of my first salmon2