44 



CHAPTER IV. 



The snow having all gone, Sir John, having to drive 

 into the market town, requests Mr. Goodbery to ac- 

 company him, to which that worthy gladly acquiesces. 

 Sir John's gig and short-docked black mare are soon at 

 the front door, the latter impatiently pawing the ground. 

 Sir John takes his seat in the gig and gathers up the 

 reins, and Goodbery seats himself in a twinkling by his 

 side. Old Snaffles, the coachman, lets go the mare's 

 head and they are soon in a swinging trot to the 

 market town. 



Very different was travelling in the days of which I 

 am writing, before the iron horse had cut up our lovely 

 country and made the day hideous by its shrieks and 

 screams. No trouble or excitement of catching trains, 

 which are nothing more or less than continual appoint- 

 ments which must be punctually kept. 



Our two friends drive through the country lanes ; the 

 fresh air as it is wafted in their faces, making them feel 

 that life is worth living. They pass the village forge 

 and are saluted by the brow-bedewed smith who for a 

 moment relaxes his work to touch his forelock to Sir 

 John. Now they are passed by the well-laden mail 

 which has been delayed owing to the amount of hampers 

 and packages which there were to collect, and the 

 coachman, good man that he is, is trying to make up his 

 time. The heavy coach rattles past Sir John, and in a 



