264 BY THE RIVER. 



there is twenty years, aye, thirty years of ex- 

 perience in the performance. By Jove ! he 

 has a rise, and whisk ! out goes a little speckled 

 beauty. 



" Good morrow, Sam." 



" Oh ! good morrow, sir, an' good luck." 



" I had no luck, Sam ; hold on and I will 

 cross over to you." 



Sam is a grizzled veteran, clothed in a dun 

 dress, and wearing on his nose a pair of silver 

 spectacles. He is very proud of these spec- 

 tacles, as remnants of family plate ; for Sam 

 though he ties flies and sells them, and is not 

 above taking half-a-crown for his offices during 

 a ramble, yet claims to come of a good stock, 

 and the spectacles are reported by him to have 

 belonged to his great-grandfather, who farmed 

 Ratheragne Grange. If you want to know 

 why Sam is poor, take whisky for the first rea- 

 son, whisky for the second. He was reclaimed 

 from the grave and the poor-house that is 

 by a priest, who made him " take the pledge ;" 

 but he had long ago swallowed his few acres, 

 and it was fortunate for him he had a passion 

 for, as well as a skill in, angling. 



