X A DAY OF TRIBULATION o <> o 



IT is mercifully ordained that one's keenest memories 

 are in general of things pleasant. The angler in 

 reminiscent mood loves to dwell on big baskets, soft 

 western breezes, and the other outstanding features of 

 a roseate past. The things he has suffered in the 

 pursuit of his recreation have left but little impression 

 behind, and in retrospect seem but little clouds on the 

 mental horizon. This is as it should be, for if the 

 remembrance of pains were as vivid as the remem- 

 brance of pleasures, a man would seriously begin to 

 wonder whether it was worth while. Yet, in spite of 

 this beneficent ordinance of fate, there must be always 

 days in one's angling history that one still regards with 

 horror and indignation days which no amount of sub- 

 sequent joy has availed to obliterate. 



It has always seemed to me that an undue number 

 of them falls to my share, but this may not be a real 

 philosophical discovery, for I have heard other men 

 complain, apparently with some reason. The worst 

 days of all I group roughly together ; they represent 

 the limited number of occasions on which I have 

 sworn a solemn oath to give up fishing for ever. In 

 addition to their own inherent vileness they must, 



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