Partly Practical 79 



Aramoosha House is at the station. The 

 house is eight minutes' walk from there. 

 The driver calls, " Get right in, gents. 

 Take you right up. No charge." You 

 get in and ride to the hotel, where the 

 clerk informs you, what the driver knew, 

 that there is not a room, a bed, a cot, or a 

 billiard-table left unclaimed. Then the 

 "free coach" driver pounces on you and 

 wants half a dollar, because you are going 

 to another house. 



By all means accept the invitations you 

 will get from farmers driving on the high- 

 way, unless you have scruples against 

 riding, or a pride of feet. Our country 

 people have much native kindness, and 

 when they offer a seat they mean it, and 

 would be surprised, if not offended, by a 

 tender of payment. Once in England I 

 had a lift, though the wagoner took a tip. 

 On the Continent I not only had no offer 

 of a ride, but I never heard of any stranger 

 who did. It is not customary there to 

 do such things. A change to a carriage for 

 a couple of miles gives rest and diversity 

 to the day's programme, and a swapping 



