IIO EASY-CHAIR MEMORIES 



all. The Hogg reel was a little old brass 

 thing, and as plain as plain could be ; but 

 greatly I prized it, but never told anybody 

 whose it had been (though perhaps Vallance 

 knew) in case it should be stolen. The spinning 

 machine am very anxious about. 



A. H. B." 



I have given "A. H. B.'s" phraseology just 

 as he wrote it. He died in 1903, and must 

 have made the notes about the reel and slate 

 a good many years ago. 



As a great admirer of " crusty, musty Christo- 

 pher," as Tennyson once dubbed him in return 

 for being snubbed by Wilson, I give the follow- 

 ing extract from the " Noctes," chiefly because 

 it mentions the unusual word pirn. 



THE FIRST OF JUNE 



"The first of June. It was on the first of 

 June that Cyril Thornton and Alex. Ballantyne 

 proceeded to Peebles to decide a bet of a rump 

 and Dozen B. with the spinning minnow, and 

 Cyril with Phin's Delight. 



" Shepherd: < Watty Ritchie '11 beat you baith 

 with the May Fly if it be on, or ony length 

 aneath the stones.' 



