214 GOLDEN DAYS 



trouble, yet at surprising small cost, 

 retrieved it from the village jumble sale. 

 Then anived " the day." The fly were 

 " up," and I was hunting for my fishing 

 coat. The coat again had vanished, and 

 in it 1 had left a dozen JNIayflies seques- 

 tered in its ample pockets (I found them 

 three days later in a salmon bag). This 

 decided me. That very night I went to 

 see a friend — an old man who mends 

 cabinets — and together, cheek by jowl, we 

 talked the matter out. At first he was 

 sure he had nothing that would serve ; but 

 at length, by candlelight, we sought the 

 open yard, and there under the winds of 

 heaven, among the roosting fowls, we 

 found my cabinet in embryo. Give him 

 but a week to work this ancient '* piece," 

 to cut it down to right dimensions, and 

 the perfect storehouse should be mine ! 



1 



To-night there's magic, for memory, like 

 affection, can brush all space away; no need 

 for steam or petrol here. Remembrance 

 waves her wand, and lo ! my cabinet. I 

 see just the corner of my studio where it 

 rests, There, too, on top, reflected in its 



