THE ANGLERS SOUVENIR. 



189 



Eglwyseg rocks seemed to hover like a cloud, ' so 

 near and yet so far ; ' near, because I couid see not 

 only the bold escarpment, but also ' by faith ' the 

 minute stones and bywalks and ledges in the crags ; 

 far, because time always forbids my going up there. 

 The air of those old rocks, and the associations of 

 the river Dee, have had a great effect on my mental 

 constitution." 



Four years of our boyhood were spent in the 

 happy valley ; and in company with the writer of 

 the letter, we had explored every nook and cranny 

 of the hills and glens, and fished every yard of 

 river and canal within the circle of mountains that 

 hem in the vale. We made friends with the hill 

 farmers, and were heartily welcomed by them when 

 our rambles led us to their homesteads. 



And thus it was that we won the heart to love 

 and remember the beautiful valley. Our rambles 

 were such pleasant ones, we caught such store of 

 fish, obtained so many birds' eggs, climbed so often 

 above the clouds, dived into the deep pools of the 

 river, saw so many rare and lovely things in nature, 

 gained so much pleasant information, and enjoyed 

 such boisterous health during that time, that we 

 christened it the Happy Valley. To us it was no 

 misnomer, for it was a happy valley to us, and 

 through the rose-coloured spectacles of our youth 

 it seemed a happy place to those that dwelt there. 

 Tt was little matter to us whether we breathed the 

 delicious enjoyment and life of a bright June day, 



