ON THE LYOX. 197 



gravel, however, always roused its ebbing energies 

 to dart again into the deep. At every dash away 

 from the shore, the laugh of the onlookers was 

 hearty and undisguised, until at last I shut them 

 up by stranding a beautifully-shaped 16-lb. salmon 

 on the sloping shingle. 



My ride home would have been lengthy, had I 

 not applied the only incentive to diligence Tommy 

 respected viz., a sharp spur. His master used to 

 boast that he never tired or fell off in condition. 

 This panegyric always reminded me of a lazy 

 " minister's man " whose master had turned him 

 off for this fault alone. The minister (who as- 

 sured me he " would not tell a fib for all the 

 world"), having occasion to be from home the 

 week before the term, knew that his factotum 

 would do literally nothing when he was absent, 

 unless he bribed him with a good character. He 

 therefore wrote in large text the words, " Sober, 

 honest," &c., and wound up by "he gives sure 

 evidence of being a very durable servant" double- 

 dashing the last three words. " The man " was 

 delighted with his certificate, particularly the com- 

 pliment at the end, promised to do all justice to 



