104 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



&quot; Yes, sir.&quot; 



&quot; On foot, it appears ?&quot; 



&quot; Yes, sir.&quot; 



&quot; Travelled far, so might I ask ?&quot; 



&quot;Oh, yes a number of hundred miles.&quot; 



&quot; Indeed : you must have seen a good bit of old England. 

 . . . Ever was on the Continent, gentlemen ?&quot; 



&quot; Yes.&quot; 



&quot; In France, it might be ?&quot; 



Yes.&quot; 



&quot; Any where else but France ?&quot; 



Yes in Holland, Germany, and Belgium.&quot; 



&quot; Ah ! . . Gentlemen, I should like to ask you now, if I 

 might be so bold, I should like to ask you a question, just 

 one question. I haven t been myself, you see, to France nor 

 to Holland nor to those other countries, but I have read of 

 them, and according to the best sources of information I could 

 reach, I have informed my mind about them and formed my 

 own independent opinion, you see, in which I may be right, of 

 course, and I may be wrong, but I think I m right. And I have 

 had a coming in here a many of travelling gentlemen like you, 

 that had seen all those foreign countries, and had also in 

 course seen England, which is advantagious. Well, I always 

 asks these gentlemen one question when they does me the 

 honour, and they have always been so good as to answer me 

 with the very same identical, and now I should be pleased to 

 ask you the same question, if I may be so bold. Though, to 

 be sure, I can imagine what you ll answer, but then to confirm 

 the independent, which I had arrived at from my own, you 

 see, and for edification, thank you. Now then, gentlemen 

 (John, you can discontinue a moment.)&quot; 



He laid the parcel on the counter, and, holding it firmly 

 with his left hand, continued to tap it lightly with the fore- 



