THE ANGLER'S SOUVENIR. 



179 



was safely got 011 board. It was prime fun to see 

 Viator. The man who professed to look down upon 

 tishing and fishers with supreme contempt, was 

 boyishly pleased with his capture. He turned it 

 over, tried its weight, poked it with his finger, 

 and stroked it again and again with great pride 

 and affection, to the amusement of the other two. 

 After that, too, he paid most assiduous attention 

 to his float, but it did not disappear again in like 

 fashion, and he had to be content with his one 

 fish. 



The embracing woods grew dusk about the mere, 

 the reedwrens sang sweetly in the reeds, and as 

 the sun grew crimson in the west, the full moon 

 rose large and silvery over the eastern woods, and 

 cast a broad stream of light across the water. The 

 gloaming began to gather fast, and we left the mere 

 to seek the origin of the dance-music, which still 

 went on. Ascending the hill, on the summit of 

 which is the bowling-green, and paying sixpence 

 each for admission, we found that we had lighted 

 upon the annual festivity of the Ellesmere Ladies' 

 Club. And a very grand affair it was. Vigorous 

 dancing was going on upon the green, which was 

 resplendent with ladies in full dress, with the 

 single addition of hats or bonnets. The general 

 effect was marred by the appearance of the young 

 men, who, as a rule, wore tall black hats, blue or 

 red neckties, and frock-coats, the tails of which 

 flapped ungracefully as the wearers danced. 



