244 WATERSIDE SKETCHES. 



travelled far and wide had found the trout streams barren 

 and dry ; the bottom-fishers had been scorned by the roach, 

 put to shame by the perch, and left in the lurch by the 

 barbel. The pike-fishers still lived in hope, but until 

 sharp frost cut down the weeds, and floods washed them 

 away, the angler could not be said to have a fair 

 chance. 



" Gentlemen, pipes," laconically, and formally rising, now 

 observes the president. This is tantamount to the military 

 " stand easy," and clouds arise and tongues are loosened 

 without a moment's delay. Every member is required to 

 contribute to the entertainment of the general body, begin- 

 ning with the oldest and proceeding down the incline of 

 seniority. Thus no time is wasted in profuse excuses or 

 affected apologies. You may sing, or perpetrate a speech, 

 or recite, or stand on your head, but you must do some- 

 thing, and bring your contribution within a hard and fast 

 compass of five minutes. 



The fence-line of three score years and ten has been 

 passed by our patriarch the dear old man of whom we 

 are all so proud, who was never known to lose his temper, 

 to do his fellow an evil turn, or to pass the bottle ; who 

 this very autumn sent up from the Shropshire streams a 

 fine dish of grayling caught by himself, with flies of his own 

 making. He is a " character/' and has an unfaltering belief 

 in the old times. 



" I'm an old-fashioned fogey," he tells us, " but I don't 

 think you youngsters are as jolly or genuine as the anglers 

 of my early days. You are over-wise in your own conceits, 

 bless your hearts ; but it's only theory. You read more, 

 but you modern anglers are not half as good naturalists as 



