"The Anglers Equipment" 145 



dismay, lie was calmly told that " he would 

 have to wait his turn, as orders were already 

 numerous, and could only be executed in 

 rotation. " This was a severe blow, as the 

 trout-fishing season had commenced, and 

 he, being young and keen, was " eager for 

 the fray." Seeing his dilemma, the kind- 

 hearted old rod-maker, taking up from a 

 corner, an all but brand-new fly-rod, ad- 

 dressed the young man as follows : " Here 

 is a rod which I made to order for a gentle- 

 man. He has returned it on my hands, 

 saying that he does not fancy its action. 

 If you like it, you can have it now." 



The youth tried it, and, without hesita- 

 tion, instantly closed with the offer. That 

 youth (?) is now a grandfather, and is writing 



1 these lines ; while he who sold me the rod, 

 (old Mr. Forrest, the founder of the firm,) 

 has long since joined the majority. 



Mr. Stewart (the author of the " Practical 

 Angler ") considered that stiffness and light- 

 ness were the two great requisites in a fly- 

 rod. In this I am, personally, unable to 

 agree with Mr. Stewart, since I consider 

 that a rod which is "as stiff as a poker" 

 can never have much sweetness or delicacy 

 in casting the fly, and is not at all a 

 suitable style of rod, especially when 4X 



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