1893. 



XV. " MINE HOST " OF THE MARNHAM HOSTELRY AND A 

 MARVELLOUS TAM O'SHANTER. 



4 * \T OW, William, how are you, and how is Mrs. 

 [ 1 Stokwotcher ? " was Mr. Hopper's greeting on his 

 arrival last month at Crow Park Station on the 

 G. N. R., fully equipped from an angling point of view for his 

 annual visit to Trent side, and full of deadly intent towards 

 the barbel and carp bream in those lower waters of the river. 

 "Thank you, Mr. Hopper, we are much as usual, but I have 

 lost two stone in weight since you and Mr. Witchdorter, and 

 Mr. Helterton and his missus were here last year; though I 

 don't know as I'm much worse for that bit of shrinking, as I 

 still pull down a good 15-stone, and I don't think it would hurt 

 Mr. Helterton to shrink a bit, just as I've done." Now 

 William is mine host of the comfortable hostelry where for 13 

 years in succession Mr. Hopper and his friend Witchdorter, 

 and occasionally Bowlingreen Twynkles, Bobbingmoon, and 

 Helterton and his "old lady" have located themselves for 

 fishing purposes. Host William is a pleasant genial man, 

 always ready with a cordial greeting for Mr. Hopper and his 

 angling friends, when they pay their yearly visit. "And 

 Mary, I must not forget her," said Mr. Hopper, "Is she 

 blooming and still the pride of the village ? " Host William 

 replied he did not know much about the village, and what the 

 village thought of his Mary, but she was still as ever the 

 pride of himself and Mrs. Stokwotcher. "A little bit 

 early this year, Mr. Hopper, I think ? " said the station 

 master. " Yes," was Mr. Hopper's reply, the season's an 

 early one you see. Any worms come for me ? " " Yes, 

 there's a bag of 2000 for you from Nottingham, and over a 

 stone of ' scratching ' came for you a day or two ago which 

 has been fetched away. Please come into the office and sign 

 for the worms." This little business was soon concluded, and 

 the' fishing rods (only eight in number this year) having been 



