LINES IN PLEASANT 

 PLACES 



CHAPTER I 

 ANGLING AS A REAL FIELD SPORT 



ONE of the commonest misconceptions about angling 

 is that it is just the pastime for an idle man. " The 

 lazy young vagabond cares for nothing but fishing ! " 

 exclaims the despairing mother to her sympathetic 

 neighbour of the next cottage listening to the family 

 troubles. Even those who ought to know better lightly 

 esteem the sport, as if, forsooth, there were something 

 in the nature of effeminacy in its pursuit. 



Not many summers ago a couple of trout-fishers were 

 enjoined by the open-handed country gentleman who 

 had invited them to try his stream to be sure and 

 come in to lunch. They sought to be excused on the 

 plea that they could not afford to leave the water upon 

 any such trifling pretence, but they compounded by 

 promising to work down the water-meads in time for 

 afternoon tea under the dark cedar on the bright 

 emerald lawn. As they sauntered up through the 

 shrubberies, hot and weary, the ladies mocked their 

 empty baskets, and that was all fair and square j but 

 a town-bred member of the house-party shot at a ven- 

 ture a shaft which they considered cruel : 



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