"LIVERPOOL UMPIRE" 25 



and the only cries we heard were those of a woman wailing 

 for her child. It had been in her arms fast asleep, and 

 she had been sitting on the ofF-side of the roof when the 

 coach went over, but now it could not be found. Fearing 

 it might be under the coach, we made every exertion to 

 get her up, but first had to undo the luggage-straps and 

 get the loading off the roof. This, together with getting 

 the coach on her legs, we soon accomplished ; bat, luckily, 

 no child — for, had it been there, it must have been 

 literally crushed. Presently, I thought I heard the feeble 

 cry of an infant, and looking behind me I saw it, or the 

 white garments in which it was enveloped, lying under 

 the fence or hedge. The rush of the hitherto distracted 

 mother, and the raj^ture with which she clasped her child 

 to her bosom, formed a scene the pen of Sterne only could 

 descrilDe ; and such as it was, it has never been erased 

 from my memory. Seeing there was no further harm 

 done, and that they had but to reload the coach, I wished 

 them good-night, and proceeded on my way to London. 



The other accident, that of the "Liverpool Umpire," 

 was under very different circumstances. Owing to an 

 obstruction in the road below Dunstable, occasioned by a 

 heavy fall of snow, four or five of us had started from 

 Redbourn together. We all went at a pretty good pace, 

 though not racing, and passing each other only at the 

 difterent changes. So — we proceeded to the " Green 

 Man " in Finchley Bottom, where we pulled up, and, to 

 make use of a flash expression, took a drain. Then I 

 fancied my friend on the '* Umpire " had had one or two 

 too many, for he was full of his slang, and very noisy. I 

 took no notice of him, as he was the same individual who 



