WINTER TALKS ON SUMMER PASTIMES. 13 



"casts." He had very few responses, but when a response 

 came, the delight he evinced as he played and la jded his 

 four or eight ounce fish was fully shared by myself, and I 

 soon found myself fascinated by what my friend was doing. 

 The stream which ran through a beautiful valley, was cast 

 into deep shadow by the graceful forest trees which lined its 

 borders. Not a sound was heard, save a few bird-notes or 

 the rustling of the leaves as they were moved by the gentle 

 summer breeze which fanned them. The whole scene was 

 a poem, and although I have been in just such places and 

 passed through just such experiences a thousand times; this 

 first picture of the first trout stream 1 ever saw, comes up 

 before me as distinctly and as vividly as it presented itself 

 to my vision forty years ago. 



' 'Finding me thus interested in what he was doing, my 

 friend, with the kindliness and generosity characteristic of 

 the brotherhood, proffered me his rod for a cast. I timidly 

 accepted his offer, and tried, very awkwardly, to do as he 

 bade me. You can imagine with what success. He was an 

 expert; 1 was a novice. He could cast fifty feet without an 

 effort. When I essayed so much line as the length of the 

 rod the fly came back upon me as if in derision. But I very 

 soon succeeded in reaching the center of the stream, when 

 there came a leap and a strike which made every nerve in 

 my body quiver like a thrummed harp-string. I stood in 

 motionless ecstacy for a moment, but, as I think, there 

 came to me the inspiration of the born angler, for I played 

 and landed that pound trout with the skill and judgment 

 (my friend being witness) of a veteran. It was the largest 

 trout known to have been taken from that stream in many 

 years. That incident fixed my destiny. Until I had that 

 experience fishing had no more attraction for me than any 

 minor amusement with which we "kill time" when we find 

 it a burden. From all of which I merely wish to say that 

 no amount of pickerel or bull pout fishing could ever have 

 inspired in me or in anyone the emotion needful to create the 

 passion for such sort of angling as fascinates while it in- 

 vigorates and augments the wisdom of the wise and makes 



