444 THJt OMNIBUS. 



of getting out of the omnibus, and taking some more expeditious con- 

 veyance. 



" Yes, sir, very true, as you say; I shall not have much time ; and it 

 is half-past two now. Well, I think, as you say, I had better get out 

 we go on very slowly now. Yes, I am afraid I shall be too late ; I had 

 better get out." 



Unfortunately for his nearly-formed resolution, the horses at this 

 moment began to move at a much quicker pace ; when the traveller, 

 saying something about " making up for lost time," resumed the seat 

 which he had half quitted. 



" Omnibuses are a great convenience, sir," observed one of the 

 passengers, as a very fat gentleman entered, and sat down with a force 

 that shook the vehicle. 



" Very," said the fat gentleman, pursing up his mouth with an air 

 of authority, which showed that, having delivered his opinion, he con- 

 sidered there could be no doubt on the subject. 



" They were first introduced in France, I believe," said a very tall and 

 very thin boy, sitting by the side of the last speaker, who I found was 

 his father : the two as they sat side by side looking like a round of beef 

 and a skewer. 



" Poor people, the French," said the father, taking no notice of his 

 son's remark: " very poor people. Wouldn't live with them for the 

 world. Only stopped in the country a night. Could'nt get any thing to 

 eat. Asked for some soup, and they brought me carrots and water ; 

 nasty wishy-washy stuff. They called it Soup In In D n it, it was 

 not fit for a Jew !" 



This was followed by a hearty laugh, the fat gentleman evidently 

 liking his own fun better than the soup ; and certainly his " fair round 

 belly" did not appear to have been produced by feeding on carrots and 

 water. 



" What do they call it, Tom ?" said he, addressing his son, after he 

 had recovered from his laugh. 



*' Oh, vou mean soup a la Italienne," said Tom, in a tone which 

 plainly told that he, too, had been in France. 



His reply caught the attention of a person who had just entered, and 

 turning towards Tom, he said in a foreign accent, " do you speak 

 French ?" 



" Oh yes, sir, Tom speaks French," said his father, looking round, a 

 little proudly. Gratified vanity appeared in the boy's face for a moment 

 at this declaration of his talents, but it was checked by the reflection that 

 the truth of it might be soon put to the test. 



" Have you been in France ?" continued the foreigner. 

 "Yes." 



" How did you like it?" and then, without waiting a reply, he sunk 

 back on his seat, and ejaculating ' La Belle France,' sunk into a reverie, 

 probably produced by the recollections of his country. 



Our attention was now attracted by a crowd of men, who, armed with 

 sticks and other weapons, were pursuing a dog that, with tongue lolling 

 out, was running down the street, barking and snapping at every thing 

 that opposed him. 



" Dangerous," said the Fat Gentleman. " Dogs ought not to be let 



