Miscellaneous Suggestions. 435 



lady friends but overhear the terms in which other an- 

 glers then present spoke of them unless I am mistaken 

 in supposing that ladies do not altogether despise the 

 good opinion of men (I speak with diffidence, being a 

 bachelor) and that others should envy their husbands 

 the great good-fortune which has fallen to them in their 

 wives is not displeasing, then the former would become 

 confirmed in, and the latter would at once begin to cul- 

 tivate fly-fishing. 



Men hope for something from women beyond seeing 

 to the boiling of the potatoes and maintaining discipline 

 among children, and that is companionship ; and she who 

 is companionable may feel confident that she has a valid 

 mortgage on the admiration of all decent men, on which 

 not one will make default in the payment of interest. 



But in introducing ladies to the delights of fly-fish- 

 ing, it seems to me that a mistake is usually made in 

 their outfit. As far as my observation goes, they have 

 generally been furnished with a rod of from eight and 

 a half to nine feet in length, weighing four or five 

 ounces. The idea is not to overtax their physical 

 strength, and thus discourage them. While the idea 

 is of course all right, it seems to me that its application 

 is all wrong. 



The first essential to full conversion is the encourage- 

 ment of success. Hope long deferred gives rise to dis- 

 couragement and distaste. Now, would any experienced 

 angler fit out a masculine beginner with a four or five 

 ounce rod ? Would he not consider a beginner so equip- 

 ped handicapped ? Would he not advocate the use of 

 a seven or eight or even nine ounce rod by such a one ? 

 Does not her sex entitle a woman to fully as much con- 



