RAILROAD SCENES. 85 



CHAPTER IX. 



A RAILWAY RIDE. SECOND CLASS. INCONVENIENT ARRANGEMENTS. FIRST 



WALK IN THE COUNTRY. ENGLAND ITSELF. A RURAL LANDSCAPE. 



HEDGES. APPROACH TO A HAMLET. THE OLD ALE-HOUSE AND THE OLD 



JOHN BULL. A TALK WITH COUNTRY PEOPLE. NOTIONS OF AMERICA. 



FREE TRADE. THft YEW TREE. THE OLD RURAL CHURCH AND GRAVE 

 YARD. A PARK GATE. A MODEL FARMER. THE OLD VILLAGE INN. A 



MODEL KITCHEN. A MODEL LANDLADY. 



TF&quot;E were very tired when we again reached the baker s. 

 After passenger-life at sea, a man s legs need to be 

 brought into active service somewhat gradually. As we had 

 spent more time than we had meant to at Birkenhead, we 

 determined to rest ourselves for a few minutes, and get a 

 start of a few miles into the country by the railroad. A seat, 

 however, on the hard board benches of an English second- 

 class car, crowded, and your feet cramped under you, does 

 not remove fatigue very rapidly. 



A heavy cloud darkened the landscape, and as we emerged 

 in a few moments from the dark tunnel, whirling out of town, 

 big drops of rain came slanting in upon us. A lady coughed, 

 and we closed the window. The road ran through a deep cut 

 ting, with only occasionally such depressions of its green- 

 sodded bank, that we could, through the dusty glass, get 

 glimpses of the country. In successive gleams : 



A market-garden, with rows of early cabbages, and let 

 tuce, and peas ; 



8 



