The Coachmaster 



conviction that he had never received 

 anything but love and kindness all his life. 

 He was indeed, and never coachman more, 

 beloved and respected by his many old 

 passengers, and the landlords, ostlers, and 

 toll-keepers all along the road; but his kind 

 heart and generosity were well known, and 

 not only honestly appreciated, but traded 

 upon. At certain breaks in the journey he 

 was perfectly surrounded by old women 

 with little offerings, all of which he received 

 with delight and paid for three-fold. 



"There's old Mother Loveday at the 

 Toll," he would say to us at home, '' and 

 poor old Mrs. Blaker at Horley, and 

 many another ; they never fail to bring me 

 their little nosegay or fresh lettuce just cut, 

 or a leaf of raspberries. Kind old souls ! 

 I must take them up some fine fresh fish 

 to-morrow ! " 



'' Bless the man ! " said my mother, 

 sometimes laughing, sometimes vexed, 

 "hasn't he got any eyes to see what the 

 old creatures are after all the time ? " 



I had been out in the world some time 

 when my Father's lawsuit came on. In all 

 the years he had been on the road, and he 

 was now an old man, he had never had an 

 accident ; but now it came. He had him- 

 self no part in it, the coach being driven by 

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