82 WHAT I HAVE SEEN WHILE FISHING 



a day in proving himself an innocent for my diver- 

 sion, only to find in the last fly he threw over me 

 there was a hook that pricked and brought me to 

 bank, quite sad, making the balance of the day 

 against me. 



There is another talent which they possess to 

 an equally remarkable degree. It is even harder to 

 detect since they are not so generally credited with 

 it. Every word, every smile, every action of an 

 Irishman is prompted by a far-sighted and definite 

 purpose. " God bless yer honour, sorr, and it's 

 ivery one of meself that's pleased to see yer honour " 

 sounds very nice, but it is sometimes pure blarney 

 deliberately intended to blarney you. 



Laugh at Paddy's joke, then be smart, very 

 smart, and you may catch him with a broad grin 

 on his face or with tongue-extended cheek that 

 was intended for your back. You will find his 

 talk seductive in the extreme. It is full of 

 milk and honey. He prefers to invent a bit of 

 truth, with divil a lie in it, rather than impart 

 anything likely to be unpleasant. Misled by the 

 careless, reckless impetuosity of his demeanour, 

 you might expect to be the confidant of his joys 

 and sorrows, his faith and beliefs, his aspirations 

 and fears at the first interview. Not at all ; 

 you will sooner get all this from a Scotsman at 

 such short notice. 



Our host is a great judge of horses, and is conse- 

 quently proud, and deservedly so, of his stud, but 



