How we set about it

In the first page of our fly-book is a list of articles which we invariably and carefully consult previous to leaving home - a custom we would recommend every angler to adopt, and that has saved us many disappointments; for how often, in prospect and in fact, is a day's enjoyment marred by the feeling which prompts the exclamation ---" I've forgot my ---!"

No matter what, or how trifling the article left behind us may be, the consciousness that it is not there, and the conviction, amounting to a certainty, that we would be much more happy had we had it with us, is often sufficient to keep us entirely unhappy all day.

Our list stands thus: Rod. Basket. Reel and Line. Cord. Flies. Flask. Bait. Pipe. Bait Tackle. Tabac. Float. Fusees.

Two thirds for Ratho!" The hour is 6.30 a.m. - the day Tuesday - the month June - and the scene the terminus of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway. A considerable rain-fall had occurred on the Sunday previous, and an opportunity for a liberty-day, which we determined to avail ourselves of and devote to our favourite amusement. But do not suppose that we arrived at our station so easily as this abrupt announcement would lead many to believe - not at all. From a stand-at-ease position, the force of circumstances behind gradually squeezed us into a rather confined one; and it was with no little difficulty we at last got a glimpse of the dispenser of tickets, and that between the fiery whiskers of a farmer-looking party, the be-devilled tile of an alarmed young gent, and over the crushed bonnet of a strong-minded female. Throwing down a liàlf-crown, back came ticket and change with a rapidity that would startle any one who did'nt know the clerk had a " kalkilating machine in his pocket which piece of information we heard given by a youth in volunteer uniform to a pretty girl under his escort - startled as above - and are sure no correction of "hat" for "pocket" occurred in our hearing. But truly the rapidity with which these clerks calculate the amount of fares and half-fares, change and all, is astonishing. " Here you are, sir," says a grim-looking giant - with abundance of silver lace, beard, and patent leather on his person - and there we were, with our rod between our knees, and ourselves between our friend Roger and the pretty girl who received the timeous hint about mechanical calculation, with her embryo warrior "opposite - "eyes front." We anticipated a very pleasant journey in such company. Jolt - jolt - jolt - and slowly emerging from beneath the arches of the E. & G. Railway, heralded by those peculiar snorts which locomotives will give, and which some people persist have an asthmatical similitude, but which are more like - taking the noises altogether - the hoarse laughs of some grim demon bearing off his unconscious freight to his "own" - his "native land," - we soon get into the regular or irregular rot-et-tot motion peculiar to rails and railway travelling in general. Dash into darkness - into the sunlight again - and we are fairly away. A shrill whistle from the front, and a perceptible diminution takes place in our speed - "phine - STORPHINE - CORSTORPHINE!" " is the cry." Doors are slammed, bells rung, and again we are in motion. Trees and telegraph posts dash past at an appalling rate, and after one more stoppage, we hear some one calling hoarsely - "RATH-A!"