The angler's fly Comes dancing by, But never a moment it cheats my eye; For the hermit trout Is not such a lout As to be by a wading boy pulled out. King of the brook, No fisher's hook Fills me with dread of a sweaty cook; But here I lie And laugh as they try; Shall I bite their bait? No, no, not I. But when the streams, Sparkle, all silver, and starlight gleams; Then, then, look out For the hermit trout; For he springs and dimples the shallows about, While the tired angler dreams. -William Post Hawes ("Cypress, Jr."). FRESH RUN Well hooked, but far from beaten yet, Who christened this the "gentle art?" FRESH RUN Just where the swirling rapids flash, So lumbering onwards blown and spent, Who christened this the "gentle art?" Spectators watch with eager eyes, He girds him for his final play, And I, with victory at my heart, Who christened this the "gentle art?" From "Collected Verses." -Alfred Cochrane. 57 THE ANGLER'S DREAM OF SPRING Arbutus mauve, and lily white, -L. F. Brown. Permission of "Forest and Stream." THE ANGLER'S TRYSTING-TREE Sing, sweet thrushes, forth and sing! Meet the morn upon the lea; Are the emeralds of spring On the angler's trysting-tree? FISHERMEN THREE Sing, sweet thrushes, forth and sing! Round the angler's trysting-tree? Sing, sweet thrushes, forth and sing! Through the angler's trysting-tree? Sing, sweet thrushes, up and sing! Are there flowers 'neath our willow-tree? -Thomas Tod Stoddart. FISHERMEN THREE Old Pharaoh went a-fishing; He'd catch 'em with his hands, And so he fell to groping Among the Red Sea sands. 59 The sands were quick, it may be, He sank so far Old Clootie Old Noah went a-fishing; And kept his hooks a-dangle He had no chance, because he Had just a pair of worms. Old Jonah went a-fishing; First thing he knew, it wouldn't To get back home, he promptly Took passage in a fish. -St. Clair Adams. MY BEST KENTUCKY REEL "To my friend, Hon. Grover Cleveland, I bequeath my best Kentucky reel."-Joseph Jefferson. Dear friend, I nevermore shall hear Your shout above the rushing stream, Nor see your struggling captive leap |