AND HOW I HAVE CAUGHT MY FISH 117 



vurder ; it'll be on a Vriday that they will zit her 

 on the winder seat, and she'll jump off and run to 

 meet her vather.' 



"All this was fulfilled to the very letter, and 

 the only regret is that the wizard's fee was not 

 made greater so that he might have used his 

 powers to straighten the hip, that she might have 

 walked with the grace that Nature meant for her 

 instead of haltingly ; so that, when life's romance 

 came to her, her answer was a ' No ' ; given, 

 indeed, so hesitatingly that the hearer guessed her 

 true reason, waited another twelve months, then 

 asked again ; only to receive the same reply. 



" Mary C- - still lives, and makes hats and 

 bonnets for a wide clientele, and sometimes varies 

 her labours at millinery by knitting stockings for 

 nephews who love their aunt." 



To give my listeners an idea of weird Jimmy 

 Thomas I had put my rod across my knees, while 

 I drew my fingers down the sides of my face to 

 show that the wizard's hair half hid his eyes and 

 came quite near his nose as an untidy woman's 

 does. While doing this I nearly lost my rod. It 

 was the closest shave possible. I got a grip of it 

 after it was overboard just as it was going down, 

 and, fortunately, I gripped the rod only, and so 

 secured the big fish that so nearly got the rod. Of 

 course, I presumed the tale was off, and that it was 

 to be fish and fishing ; but no I had to complete 

 it, and this started the talk afresh : 



