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Roe, Frances Marie Antoinette Mack

"Army Letters from an Officer's Wife, 1871-1888"

Mrs. Ord
was very quick to learn where and how to cast a fly, and I was
delighted to let General Stanley see that grasshoppers were not at all
necessary to my success in fishing.
We sat upon a big, flat rock at luncheon, and were thankful that
General Stanley was a tall man and could keep the box of sandwiches
from getting wet. When we toppled over he always came to our
assistance, so at times his wading boots were not of much use to him.
Mrs. Ord was far ahead of me in number of fish, and General Stanley
said that I had better keep up with her, if I wished. The stream had
broadened out some, so finally Mrs. Ord whipped the left side, which
is easier casting, and I whipped the right. We waded down the entire
five miles, and Mrs. Ord, who had the stream most of the time, caught
sixty-four trout and I caught fifty-six, and General Stanley picked up
fourteen, after our splashing and frightening away the fish we did not
catch. The trout were small, but wonderfully full of fight in that
cold water. Of course General Stanley carried them for us. The driver
had been ordered to keep within call on the trail, as General Stanley
thought it would be impossible for Mrs. Ord and me to wade the five
miles; but the distance seemed short to us; we never once thought of
being tired, and it was with great regret we reeled in our lines.


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