THE FORCED MARCH. 307 



of fashion. What improved type of character does it indicate, 

 that the rich oftener prefer now to make their tribute to public 

 opinion, by having their gift-money used while they yet live, and 

 the amount of it paraded with their names in the newspapers? 

 Their " left hands," probably, do not read the newspapers. 



I was disappointed in not finding my friends at this village, but 

 soon after leaving it met two Germans traveling on foot, who said 

 they had met, at three hours back, two gentlemen, who wore hats 

 and knapsacks like mine. I feared that, not hearing from me at 

 Salisbury, they would conclude I had gone on by Cirencester, to 

 the Isle of Wight, and would go by the five-o'clock train to over- 

 take me. It was therefore necessary that I should hasten in to 

 arrest them. I yet made two or three stoppages, once to con- 

 verse with a shepherd, and once to sketch the outlines of a group 

 of cottages, intending to take the coach, which I was told would 

 be passing in a few minutes. But when coming up a hill, I rose 

 the fine spire of the cathedral, some three miles distant, and the 

 coach still not in sight, I strapped tight my knapsack and went 

 the rest of the way at " double quick." Teamsters stopped their 

 wagons as I met them, children at the cottage-doors called their 

 mothers to help look at me, and at the office of the " Wilts Game 

 Law Reporter," as I entered the town, taking the middle of the 

 street, a fat old gentleman in top-boots eagerly took out his watch 

 and timed me, evidently supposing it was some interesting affair 

 on a wager. Finding the post-office, but not finding any note for 

 me, I hastened on still to the station, which was well out of the 

 town on the other side, and which I reached at the same moment 

 with the delaying stage-coach. The train started a moment after- 

 wards. The policeman in attendance was certain that no persons 

 such as I described had entered the station-house, and I returned 

 to the town, and going first to the cathedral, there found J. and 

 C. lying under the trees in delighted contemplation of its beauty. 



