COUNTRY CARRIER S OART. 17 



IT* ] 



CHAPTER II. 



COUNTRY CAERIKK S CART. INDEPENDENT BREAKFAST. BEAUTY. OLD INN. 



JACK UP THE CHIMNEY. BACON AND BREAD. BEER AND RUM. LUD- 



LOW. AN APOSTOLIC CHURCH. THE POOR-HOUSE. CaS6 OF A BROKEN 



HEART. REFRESHMENT. 



E rose the next morning at daybreak, and walked some 

 miles before we saw any body else awake. At the first 

 inn that we found open, we stopped to breakfast. In front of 

 it was a carrier s cart a large, heavy, hooped-canvas-topped 

 cart, drawn by one horse. As any body who reads Dickens 

 knows, this kind of rural package-express is a common thing 

 on the English roads, the carrier taking orders of country 

 people for what they need from the towns, and bringing them 

 any parcels they send for ; taking live freight also when he is 

 not otherwise filled up: David Copperfield, for instance. 

 The representative of &quot; Mr. Barkis&quot; and &quot; honest John Peery- 

 bingle&quot; was in the kitchen of the public house, and very glad 

 to see us, pressing us politely to drink from his glass, and 

 recommending the ale as the best on the road. 



The house, however, was of a very humble character ; the 

 &quot; good woman&quot; was gone to market, and the landlord, though 

 very amiable and desirous to please, was very stupid and ill 

 provided. He could not even find us an egg, every thing 

 having been swept off to market. There was some good 

 bread, however, which the carrier had just brought, and milk. 

 We found a saucepan, cleaned it, and scalded the milk, and, 



