1 88 



THE ANGLERS SOUVENIR. 



sliding down to the deep pool, till he was stopped 

 and unceremoniously dragged back by his coat 

 collar first himself, then his rod and line, then 

 a small, active eel, which gave him a great deal of 

 trouble to unhook and secure. 



It was lung past our dinner hour, we had some 

 distance to drive, the coachman was plunging down 

 through the woods in search of us, and we were 

 reluctantly compelled to leave the river and the 

 cool shade. 



" Well," said Viator, " I don't care for fishing at 

 all, but such a day as this goes far to make one a 

 fisherman. It has been a perfect day it is more 

 than a pleasure to live, it is an ecstasy barring 

 wet coat-tail pockets on such a day," and more 

 to the same effect, to which we listened indul- 

 gently. 



IX. THE HAPPY VALLEY. 



It was somewhat singular that just as we sat 

 down to write this chapter, which concerns the 

 pleasant Vale of Llangollen, the post should 

 bring us a letter from an " old chum" one who 

 spent his boyhood in that valley, and who is now 

 settled far from us, writing to us but seldom. 

 In his letter he says : 



" I was at Llangollen again yesterday, and was 

 much reminded of our old haunts and walks. The 



