3<5 Fly-Fifliing. 



to leave the fervice on a fmall penfion. What 

 with that the trifle I get for being clerk at the 

 little churcrTyonder the fifh I occafionally fell 

 and the flies my Miffis makes, I have quite enough 

 (more perhaps than I deferve) to live upon. Be- 

 fides, in the winter feafon I amufe myfelf with 

 making rods that are ufually liked by thofe who 

 buy them. 



Clericus. Well, come along with me to the 

 houfe, and have fomething to eat and drink. I 

 fee we fhall be good friends very foon. 



Such was the fubftance of the converfation that 

 panned (as far as I can remember) fome years ago 

 between this old foldier and myfelf. I very foon 

 afterwards heard his hiftory from his own lips, 

 and no uninterefting one was it, though confined 

 to the ups and downs of an humble private. 



He appeared to retain a great reverence for the 

 fervice, though many a long yarn did he fpin, in 

 my frequent pifcatorial excurfions with him, of its 

 attendant evils and hardfhips. 



His was a very obfervant eye ; and you mould 

 have feen how it fparkled with delight when aught 

 was alked him of an officer he thought well of. 



A large mafs of men as varied in temper as in 

 the expreffion of the face furely our young officers 



