Memories . one year,when there came over me a dreadful but over-mastering aversion from killing those birds andcreatures of which he was so fond as soon asthey were dead. And so I never knew him as 31 MEMORIES a sportsman: for during that first year he wasonly an unbroken puppy, tied to my waist forfear of accidents, and carefully pulling meoff every shot. They tell me he developeda lovely nose and perfect mouth, large enoughto hold gingerly the biggest hare. I wellbelieve it, remembering the qualities of hismother, whose character, however, in stabilityhe far surpassed. But, as he grew every
Memories . one year,when there came over me a dreadful but over-mastering aversion from killing those birds andcreatures of which he was so fond as soon asthey were dead. And so I never knew him as 31 MEMORIES a sportsman: for during that first year he wasonly an unbroken puppy, tied to my waist forfear of accidents, and carefully pulling meoff every shot. They tell me he developeda lovely nose and perfect mouth, large enoughto hold gingerly the biggest hare. I wellbelieve it, remembering the qualities of hismother, whose character, however, in stabilityhe far surpassed. But, as he grew every yearmore devoted to dead grouse and birds andrabbits, / liked them more and more alive ; itwas the only real breach between us, andwe kept it out of sight. Ah! well; it is con-soling to reflect that I should infallibly haveruined his sporting qualities, lacking that peculiarhabit of meaning what one says, so necessary tokeep dogs virtuous. But surely to have hadhim with me, quivering and alert, with his 32. 6L^^/ h^-^ >^ ^f^ J^^urt. M E i\ I OKIES solemn, eager face, would have given a new joyto those crisp mornings when the hope ofwings coming to the gun makes poignant inthe sportsman as nothing else will, an almostsensual love of Nature, a fierce delight in thesoft glow of leaves, in the white birch stems andtracery of sparse twigs against blue sky, in thescents of sap and grass and gum and heatherflowers ; stivers the hair of him with keennessfor interpreting each sound, and fills the veryfern or moss he kneels on, the very trunkhe leans against, with strange vibration. Slowly Fate prepares for each of us thereligion that lies coiled in our most secretnerves; with such we cannot trifle, we do noteven try ! But how shall a man grudge anyone sensations he has so keenly felt ? Let suchas have never known those curious delights, 35 MEMORIES uphold the hand of horror—for me there canbe no such luxury. If I could, I would stillperhaps be knowing them ; but when once thejoy of
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