FLY-FISHING IN MAINE LAKES. 



and simply say he was too much for them ; for, 

 as one by one returned from the hunt, it was the 

 same story, " nary bear." The anger and mortifi- 

 cation showed itself strongest in the young men, as 

 visions of untold quantities of bear's-grease, with 

 which to anoint their flowing locks for some fair 

 Dulcinea's gaze, had danced before their eyes and 

 vanished forever. 



The landlord at whose house we dined shrugged 

 his shoulders in a manner which seemed to say, 

 " It's lucky, old fellow, for your hide, that I didn't 

 go out." "You see, marm," said he, "there ain't 

 many of 'em as knows a bear's ways ; " and the 

 madam said "Yes." But, for all of his vanity and 

 self-assurance, he gave us a good dinner ; to which, 

 thanks to the bracing stage-ride and the elderberry, 

 we brought good appetites. 



" And so, my dear boy, you are fully and irrevo- 

 cably fixed in your decision, are you ? Very well, 

 then, we very soon must part." 



This to Charlie, whom we had endeavored to 

 prevail upon to accompany us to the White Hills, 

 now so near; but "circumstances over which lie 

 had no control " rendered it necessary that he 

 should return, and so here was to be our parting. 

 And here, then, kind reader, shall we part ; for this 

 fishing story is at an end, unless you will take the 



