Dariel

was welcome to do what it pleased, short of a very heavy gale of wind. Not a mowing-machine, nor a patent haymaker, had been into our meadows,

hey had turned out by the dozen, from cottage, and farm, and the great house itself, to h

o has no time to keep up his cricket, and has never heard of golf,-as was then the case with most of us,-and takes no delight in green tea-parties, neither runs after moths and butterflies, however attractive such society may be, this man finds a riverbank, or, better still, a fair brook-side, the source of the sweetest voices to him. Here he may find such pleasure as

ption of scenery-this (which is now become a very scientific and delicate art in delusion of trout) to me is a thing below our duty to our kin. A fish is a fellow that ought to be caught, if a man has sufficient skill f

only enjoyment was to improve it. Tom Erricker, who was lazy enough to saunter all day by a river, while he talked as if examiners were scalping him, not an atom did he know of any sort of fishing, except sitting in a punt, and pulling roach in, like a pod of seedy beans upon a long beanstick. Therefore was everything in my book gone rusty, and grimy, and maggoty, and looped

most felt, as a man is apt to feel, when in his full harness, and fond of it, that to step outside of it, even for a few hours, was a bit of self-indulgence unworthy of myse

d the rental in value, the wary trout was not yet made of gold and rubies; and in many places any one, with permission of the farmers, was welcome to wander by the babbling brook, and add to its music, if the skill were in him, the s

ying air, or pushing appearance about a gentle fisherman, who shows himself intent upon the abstract beauties of a rivulet, or the concrete excellence of the fish it holds. My mother liked nothing better than a dish of trout, my father (though obliged to be very careful

great abundance of those very pleasing fish, and they saw an equal abundance of me. They would come and look at my fly, with an aspect of gratifying approval, as at a laudable specimen of clever plagiarism, and then off with the

n, in the twilight of the May. Her little shrine and holy place I never had profaned, feeling that a stranger had no business there; neither could I bring myself to hang about in ambush, and lurk for the hour of her evening prayer and hymn. But my dear moth

up gambolling round my heels, and asking, as it seemed to me, for a good word, or a pat, but that magnificent and very noble dog who had reviewed, and so kindly approved of me, from the battlements near the upper door? "What is your name, my stately friend

shade, regarded us; while great teeth glimmered under bulging jowls, and squat red nostrils were quivering with disdain. It was Grab, Farmer Ticknor's savage bull-dog; and hoping that he would be scared, as most dogs are, when they have no business, by the cast of a stone, I threw a

by birth and social habits, not a coarse prize-fighter; so he stood looking down with some surprise at this under-bred animal, yet glancing pleasantly as if he would accept a challenge to a bout of gambols, as my lord will play cricket with a pot-boy. Nay, he even went so far as to wag his courtly tail, and draw his taper fore-legs, which shone like sable, a little beneath the arch of his body, to be read

ade of! Tip 'un a taste of British oak. Give 'un a

nd then rushing at the dog, my friend, with a loaded crab-stick, because he had got the bull-dog down and was throwing his great weight

your beast that began it. Let him have a le

furious for life or death, with tossing and whirlings, and whackings of ribs, and roars of deep rage on the part of my

this, for two months. I sent 'e fair warning, Master George, by that fellow Slemmick, that you might not lose it. Fair play, you says; and I say the very

was panting and his hind-legs twitching, and long sobs of exhaustion fetching up his golden flanks. The sleuth

uted Farmer Ticknor. "Serve 'un right for

from the root-hold. The harder I tugged the deeper went the bulldog's teeth, the faster fell the gouts of red into his blazing eyes, and the feebler grew the gasps of his exhausted victim. Then I picked up my

ious beast. Aha, what a change! His grim set visage puckered back to his very ears, as if he were scalped by lightning; the flukes of his teeth fell away from their grip, as an anchor sags out of a quicksand, he quivered all over, and rolle

y enjoyment was becoming actual anguish when the pensive Ticknor stooping over his poor pet inhaled enough of the superfluous snuff to

gure well known to me, but not in its present aspect. The calm glory of the eyes was changed to grief and te

oly cry, as she sank on her knees without a glance at us, and covered that palpitating

me soft words uttered into his

I came back the young lady was sitting with the massive head helpless on her lap, and stroking the soft dotte

at I was near. "Be kind enough to leave the dog to me. I may be a

one momen

as she put her little hand, where she thought his hea

unless we help him. There is a wound here that I cannot bind up with anything I have about me. Bring bandages and anything long and s

nable to follow with my eyes; for it was the turning-point of Kuban's life-if that were the name of this high-souled dog. The throttling was gone, and the barbed strangulation, and devil's own tug at his windpipe

f my hat on the poor dog's face, as I had meant to do,-which must in such a case have been his last sensation,-I poured a little whiskey into the silver cup, and filled it with the residue of water that was leaking quickly from my guaranteed felt. Then I held up the poor helpless head, and let the contents o

for at the end of the meadow I saw Grab, the British champion, slouching along, like a vanquished cur, with his ropy stomach venting heavy snee

marvel had befallen him. He even put out his tongue, and tried to give me a lick, and his grand tail made one or two beats upon the ground; but I held up my hand, for he had several

t had no thought whatever of anything, or any one, except that blessed Kuban. That was right enough of course, and what else could be expected? Still I must admit that this great fellow rose even hi

not what you do, beloved one, if only you preserve your life. Do

he brilliant depths of her expressive eyes. And the sweetness of her voice was made doubly charming by the harsh and high tones o

of my light, and let the fresh air flow in upon us? Oh, thank you, that is a great deal better. There! I think now if we let

uld have thought possible, since the fair cheeks of Eve took the fatal bi

is gentleman into the fort. Understand you? He has very little English yet. He can do everything except learn. Stepan is too strong for that. Bu

that they were ready for anything. But I saw that a hard leather bandoleer, or something of that kind, with a frill of leather case

at great leather frill?" I asked, seeing that it would scru

rt of Stepan." His young mistres

I carry him, for he must be kept in one position, and most of his weight came on my bad arm. So difficult was my task indeed, that I saw nothing of the place they led me through, but feared that I should drop down at every rough spot-whic

arm, and the fear of dropping my patient fatally, a man of magnifi

's voice. "This is over-trying your good will. I see what it is. I

ban, and displaying, as I thought, even more curiosity than sympathy. But when the weight was taken fr

am wanted no more; the soo

now standing wide open in the distance; and I felt low at heart thro

a bench near the door. "I have quite enough to do at home, and my arm is very sore. They evidently wish to live in strict seclusion; and as far as concerns

d through the door, and picked up my shattered rod and half-filled creel, an