1 88 A Walk from 



went to them one by one. They all kept plenty of 

 beer, but no bed. They, too, looked at me with 

 surprise for asking for such a thing. Apparently, there 

 had been no demand for such entertainment by any 

 traveller since the stage-coach ceased to run through 

 the village. I went up and down, trying to negociate 

 with the occupants of some of the best-looking cottages 

 for a cot or bunk ; but they had none to spare, as the 

 number of wondering children that stared at me kindly, 

 at once suggested before I put the question. 



It was now quite dark, and I was hungry and tired ; 

 and the prospect of an additional six miles' walk was 

 not very animating. What next ? I will go back to 

 Landlord Eufus and try a new influence on his sensi- 

 bilities. Who knows but it will succeed ? I will touch 

 him on his true character as a Briton. So I went back, 

 with my last chance hanging on the experiment. I 

 told him I was an American traveller, weary, hungry 

 and infirm of health, and would pay him an extra price 

 for an extra effort to give me a bed for the night. I 

 did not say all this in a Romanus-civis-sum sort of 

 tone. No ! dear, Honest Old Abe, you would have 

 done the same in my place. I made the great 

 American Eagle coo like a dove in the request ; and it 

 touched the best instincts of the British Lion within 

 the man. It was evident in a moment that I had put 



