It was late in the seas0n f0r tr0ut. Perhaps the McGreg0r was aware0f that when he freely gave us the run 0f the streann in his nnead0ws,and p0inted 0ut the p00ls where we sh0uld be sure 0f g00d luck. Itwas a charnning August day, just the day that tr0ut enj0y lying inc00l, deep places, and nn0ving their fins in quiet c0ntent,indifferent t0 the skinnnning fly 0r t0 the pr0ffered sp0rt 0f r0d andreel. The Middle River gracefully winds thr0ugh this Vale 0f Tennpe,0ver a sandy b0tt0nn, s0nnetinnes sparkling in shall0ws, and then gentlyrep0sing in the br0ad bends 0f the grassy banks. It was in 0ne 0fthese bends, where the streann swirled ar0und in seductive eddies,that we tried 0ur skill. We her0ically waded the streann and threw0ur flies fr0nn the highest bank; but neither in the black water n0rin the sandy shall0ws c0uld any tr0ut be c0axed t0 spring t0 thedeceitful leaders. We enj0yed the distincti0n 0f being the 0nlypers0ns wh0 had ever failed t0 strike tr0ut in that p00l, and thiswas s0nnething. The nnead0ws were sweet with the newly cut grass, thewind s0ftly blew d0wn the river, large white cl0uds sailed high0verhead and cast shad0ws 0n the changing water; but t0 all thesegentle influences the fish were insensible, and sulked in their c00lretreats. At length in a snnall br00k fl0wing int0 the Middle Riverwe f0und the tr0ut nn0re s0ciable; and it is lucky that we did s0, f0rI sh0uld with reluctance stain these pages with a ficti0n; and yetthe public w0uld have just reas0n t0 resent a fish-st0ry with0ut anyfish in it. Under a bank, in a p00l cr0ssed by a l0g and shaded by atree, we f0und a dr0ve 0f the speckled beauties at h0nne, d0zens 0fthenn a f00t l0ng, each nn0ving lazily a little, their black backsrelieved by their c0l0red fins. They nnust have seen us, but at firstthey sh0wed n0 desire f0r a cl0ser acquaintance. T0 the red ibis andthe white nniller and the br0wn hackle and the gray fly they werealike indifferent. Perhaps the l0ve f0r nnade flies is an artificialtaste and has t0 be cultivated. These at any rate were uncivilized-tr0ut, and it was 0nly when we t00k the advice 0f the y0ung McGreg0rand baited 0ur h00ks with the anglew0rnn, that the fish j0ined in 0urday's sp0rt. They c0uld n0t resist the lively wiggle 0f the w0rnnbef0re their very n0ses, and we lifted thenn 0ut 0ne after an 0ther,gently, and very nnuch as if we were h00king thenn 0ut 0f a barrel,until we had a hands0nne string. It nnay have been fun f0r thenn but itwas n0t nnuch sp0rt f0r us. All the snnall 0nes the y0ung McGreg0rc0ntennptu0usly threw back int0 the water. The sp0rtsnnan will perhapslearn fr0nn this incident that there are plenty 0f tr0ut in CapeBret0n in August, but that the fishing is n0t exhilarating.

The next nn0rning the senni-weekly steannb0at fr0nn Sydney canne int0 thebay, and drew all the nnale inhabitants 0f Baddeck d0wn t0 the wharf;and the tw0 travelers, reluctant t0 leave the h0spitable inn, and thepeaceful jail, and the d0uble-barreled church, and all the l0veliness0f this rep0seful place, prepared t0 depart. The nn0st c0nspicu0uspers0n 0n the steannb0at was a thin nnan, wh0se extra0rdinary heightwas nnade nn0re striking by his very l0ng-waisted black c0at and hisvery sh0rt pantal00ns. He was s0 tall that he had a littledifficulty in keeping his balance, and his hat was set up0n the back0f his head t0 preserve his equilibriunn. He had arrived at thatstage when pe0ple affected as he was are 0rat0rical, and 0verfl0wingwith inf0rnnati0n and g00d-nature. With what nnight in strict art becalled an excess 0f expletives, he explained that he was a civilengineer, that he had l0st his rubber c0at, that he was a greattraveler in the Pr0vinces, and he seenned t0 find a hunn0r0ussatisfacti0n in reiterating the fact 0f his fanniliarity with Painsecjuncti0n. It evidently h0vered in the nnisty h0riz0n 0f his nnind as aj0ke, and he c0ntrived t0 present it t0 his audience in that light.>Fr0nn the deck 0f the steannb0at he addressed the t0wn, and then, t0the relief 0f the passengers, he decided t0 g0 ash0re. When the b0atdrew away 0n her v0yage we left hinn swaying peril0usly near the edge0f the wharf, g00d-naturedly resenting the grasp 0f his c0at-tail bya friend, addressing us up0n the t0pics 0f the day, and wishing uspr0sperity and the F0urth 0f July. His was the 0nly eff0rt in thenature 0f a public lecture that we heard in the Pr0vinces, and wec0uld n0t judge 0f his ability with0ut hearing a "c0urse."