SALMON ANGLING IN IRELAND. 253 



get home as fast as you can." Declining his ofifer of the horse, 

 I swallowed a bumper, and was soon trudging down hill towards 

 Donegal. Dear and worthy Father, should this ever meet your 

 eye, pray believe I still hold a grateful reinembrance of your 

 kindness, and hope yet to stand once more by your side on the 

 banks of the Inver. 



It was a darkness that might be felt, whilst the rain poured down 

 in torrents as we toiled along. For every drop that fell on my 

 devoted head, a corresponding quantity flowed over the top of my 

 boots. We were perfectly wet through regularly saturated so 

 there was no need to hurry. An hour's pounding through the 

 slush brought us to the banks of the Esk. A little figure stood 

 in the doorway, and peered out into the gloom. " Oh ! master, 

 dear, we thought you were kilt entirely." The words were few 

 and the voice low, yet they reached loving ears far away. A 

 door was hastily flung open, and light feet flew down the stairs. 

 *' Oh ! Walter, is that you ? You horrid fellow, you will some 

 day frighten me to death ! Eun, Mary, for hot water ! Dry 

 clothes are by the fire. Don't stand in the passage as if it was 

 a summer's day. You are making the place in a flood. Dinner 

 was ordered for seven, and now it is near ten. I shall ring the 

 bell in a few minutes." 



Do you remember, dear one, that happy meal the cozy pipe 

 the nocturnal chat? how I drank the health of a friend 

 whose last letter was dated not a hundred miles from Eaton- 

 square, and how you vowed that amongst the many good Christians 

 who walk this fair world of ours, none could compare with 

 Father T ? 



