258 OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



while, the animal itself was limping and halting as though 

 he were trying his legs, one after the other, for the first time 

 in his life, and was doubtful of their capabilities. The 

 wretched machine (including the horse in this term) stumbled 

 along, and the man had the impudence, the coolness, the 

 unspeakable effrontery, to hail me, and say, " Hansom, Sir?" 

 But then and there I had my revenge. I replied, with biting 

 sarcasm, but ineffable politeness, "No thank you, /'w in a 

 hurryP After this I shot on, like the advertising picture of 

 Mr. Walkingfast, the bootmaker (capital name !), and left the 

 poor crazy wreck to flounder about as best, or worst, it might. 

 I just heard him anathematising me, the cab, and the horse, 

 as I turned the corner. Excuse me if I am proud of the ex- 

 ploit : it may be weak, but seeing that it is scoring the bull's 

 eye after a quarter of a century of misses, I do think the ex- 

 ultation pardonable. I make a present of my repartee to 

 the public. It will always tell : it will never grow old : it 

 will improve by use : it will be better for keeping — in short, 

 like every other effort of genius, it is not for an age, but for 

 all time. 



I will not here dwell on the dangers and difficulties of 

 entry common to all Hansoms, as to what you 're to lay hold 

 of, what you 're not to lay hold of, what you 're to cling to, 

 when you're to cling to it, how you've got to keep your eye 

 on the hind quarters of the horse, how you're to back in, still 

 holding on to something, and how you're to stoop cautiously, 

 for fear of the loosely strapped-up window catching your 

 neatly-brushed hat — on these troubles I will not now dilate : 

 another time. Sir, I was in a hurry, as I often am ; And 



