THE WAY THAT AMERICANS GO DOWN HILL. 303 
The drivers of our different “ changes,” all seemed 
to be made upon the go-ahead principle, and looked upon 
nothing as really disgraceful, but beg behind the stage 
that so perseveringly pursued us. Unfortunately tvo, 
for our safety, we went in an “ extra,” 
and managed, by 
a freak of fortune, to arrive at the different stations, 
where drivers and horses were changed, just as the former 
had got comfortably to bed; and it was not the least 
interesting portion of my thoughts, that every one of 
these Jehus made the most solemn protestations, that 
he would “ upset us over some precipice not less than 
three hundred and sixty-five feet high, and knock us into 
suck a perfect nonenity, that it would save the coroner 
the trouble of calling a jury to sit upon our remains.” 
It is nine years since, and if the winter of that year 
is not set down as “remarkably cold ” in the almanacs, 
it shows a want of care in those useful annuals. 
We say it is nine years since we crossed the Alle- 
ganies. At the particular time to which we allude, 
the “oldest inhabitant’ of the country (and we met 
him on the road side) informed us that he had no recol- 
lection of such a severe season. That we could live 
through such a night would have been deemed impos- 
sible, could its perils have been anticipated, before they 
were experienced. 
The fire in every house we passed smoked like a fur- 
nace, and around its genial warmth were crowded groups 
