146 LINES IN PLEASANT PLACES 



that thoroughness of his stamped his knowledge, and 

 ruled his memory. You might not always agree with 

 him, but could seldom floor him, the ground he stood 

 upon being rock-solid. As both a giver and taker of 

 chaff he was an adept. He had the courage of his 

 opinions, and none wiser than he when it was best to 

 keep opinions an unknown quantity. In travelling or 

 by the waterside he was wonderfully helpful if help was 

 good for you perhaps, if anything, too helpful, though 

 I cannot conceive a more pardonable fault than that. 

 Aye, Halford was verily a fine fellow. 



An important note to register in thinking of Halford 

 is that he was one upon whom fortune smiled. That 

 makes a vast difference probably in the shape a man 

 will assume as he gets over the dividing range and goes 

 down the other side towards the cold river. In this 

 respect, H. had every reason to be grateful for bless- 

 ings bestowed, and freely said so. He had, of course, 

 his ups and downs, and his part in life's battle ; but 

 while still in the prime of life he had, so far as one 

 could see, achieved all that a reasonable man could 

 desire. He could go from a happy home in the West 

 End to his club ; as, per wish or mood, could wander 

 on Swiss mountains or by Italian lakes ; and, above 

 everything, could have and hold his choice bit of fish- 

 ing. In his younger days he was a great opera-goer, 

 and never lost his fondness for music ; he was an 

 officer in the City Artillery Volunteers, and was 

 thorough in that, and there is a silver cup that notifies 

 his prowess at the rifle butts. 



Need it be said that Halford's ante-chamber to 

 paradise was his fisheries ? He was not himself a hard 

 fisher, being content with two or three hours in the 

 forenoon (ten to one, as a rule) and the evening rise. 

 It might be wondered how the time could be passed in 



