1890. 

 VII. AN INVITATION FROM A LINCOLNSHIRE BARONET. 



" Lincolnshire, 4th September, 1890. 



" T~"N EAR MR. HOPPER, I should like you, that young 61b. 

 I J barbel catcher, and your friends, Herr Otto von 

 Krozz and Mr. H umber, to come and have a day's 

 fishing in my ponds next Saturday. Your other angling mates, 

 Bobbingmoon, Twynkles, and Witchdorter, will not, I am sure, 

 care to come ; but I can understand Bobbingmoon's objection 

 to pond fishing, after being accustomed for upwards of fifty 

 years to river and stream fishing. Twynkles too, of course, could 

 not drag himself from the bowling-green, but had he come I 

 should only have been too pleased to play him 21 up on the bit 

 of grass in front of my little shanty. Witchdorter's objections, 

 I know, are due to conscientious scruples as to fishing on a 

 Saturday, he being occupied in quiet preparations for the 

 Sabbath. I entertain the same feelings myself. Fishing on a 

 Saturday causes ones thoughts to wander away to the 

 grossly material ideas and pleasures of the world. 

 Shooting is so entirely different, as ones thoughts become 

 concentrated on the sport actually being enjoyed at the time. 

 But watching a float well, one's thoughts will wander, 

 and not always in the proper channel. Tell young barbel 

 catcher to bring his rifle, as we have some nice dab chicks on 

 my bit of water, and so long as he doesn't interfere with the 

 other water-fowl, my good old lady won't complain, but take it 

 from me, friend Hopper, she'll duck him if a stray shot goes 

 among her poultry. Yes, it was right ; 194 bream, the smallest 

 3ilbs., but, blow the chaps, they couldn't carry them away when 

 they had caught them, and had to borrow one of my wagons 

 and team of horses out of the harvest field to take the catch 

 home with them. I wish you plenty of sport, but hope you 

 won't repeat the dose. I probably shall not be able to drop 

 down upon you until after noon, as we go out with our harriers 



