A DAY ON THE LEA 117 



" A King may go a progress through the guts 

 of a beggar." 



The Major soon became tired of " this sort 

 of thing" gave it up, and betook himself to 

 the solace of a pipe and the contemplation of 

 the beauties of nature under a spreading willow ; 

 but I, the "A. A.," having a character to 

 maintain or I ought to say retrieve, for I have 

 been monstrously unlucky lately persevered. 

 I walked, and worked, and watched, and where 

 I could find a few yards of open space, and 

 could see even the scintillation of the move- 

 ment of a trout's fin, or the wagging of his tail, 

 down I came upon him in my usual pretty style, 

 and oftentimes I attracted his attention. Indeed, 

 of tail-wagging I saw a great deal too much. It 

 is useless to cast your fly over a trout when his 

 tail is above water and his head down in the 

 mud ; he cannot see with his tail. Yet this was 

 the way those big trout were amusing themselves 

 all that blessed afternoon. 



Now I come to think of it, I am afraid what 

 I have just been writing savours very much of 

 a continuous growl or grumble, but I mean 

 nothing of the kind. I beg to assure the good 

 provider of this pleasant feast that I enjoyed it 



