19+ ANGLERS' EVENINGS. 



they descend at the Spalding Arms, where they find 

 everything in readiness for their reception. Without loss 

 of time they prepared for battle, and issued forth on their 

 watery quest. The poet of the next chapter says that 

 " by sun-down they'd all got their baskets crammed full," 

 and if that account has something of poetical license in 

 it, let us say that it is near enough to the mark. But not 

 in slaying trout did our raiders find their only satisfaction. 

 After the smoke and dust and din of busy Manchester, 

 how serene and balmy the atmosphere of the Stewartry ! 

 How inspiriting and elastic the clear sunshine ! How 

 lovely the budding hedge-rows, and the mossy banks and 

 woods dotted with pale primroses and sweet violets ! The 

 songsters of the woods had once more awakened to 

 new life, and were pouring forth their thrilling strains of 

 melody. The young lambs frisked and gambolled in an 

 ecstacy of delight, the cattle browsed in the fields. The 

 cuckoo gave forth its doleful but melodious note, and the 

 mavis from the shaw saluted his brooding mate. The 

 trees, which were recently so naked and skeleton-like, 

 were fast assuming their beautiful appearance; with 

 branches, lately so bleak and naked, now gracefully 

 bending under the weight of bursting buds and blossoms. 

 The raiders then, saw the end of the first day and 

 returned to the inn, with trout in their creels enough 

 to satisfy them, and their hearts softened by these rural 

 beauties. 



On the morrow, in obedience to command, they 

 moved on to Dairy, some two miles away, taking up 

 their abode at the Lochinvar Arms, where they found 



