46 SHUTTLEWORTH 



I said. He made no answer, but when he had finished, 

 he got up, dehberately rolled up the paper, and put it in 

 his pocket, and was walking away, when he was stopped 

 by another Avho had observed his demeanour, and who 

 insisted on his leaving the paper on the table. " Do you 

 want it?" he said. 



" Whether I want it or not," was the reply, " you have 

 no right to take it out of the room." 



Upon which he very ungraciously gave it up, and the 

 gentleman politely handed it to us. After satisfying our- 

 selves, and chatting with the stranger, who gave us an 

 account of his uncouth fellow-townsman, we returned to 

 our own room, when my brother, still a little sore at his 

 ungentlemanlike conduct, and wishing to retaliate, asked 

 me to write a line or tAvo, and put up on the mantelpiece 

 in the coiFee-room. Whereupon, having ascertained his 

 name, I penned the following : — 



" Strange animals I've often seen 

 In many towns where I have been ; 

 But, till I came to Wallingford, 

 No other place could e'er afford 

 A brute that on two legs went forth, 

 And he was yclept Shuttle worth." 



This we left for the offender to digest as best he might, 

 and proceeded on our journey, stoj^ping at Reading to 

 dine and at Alton to sleep. 



At twelve the next day we reached Petersfield, ^vhere 

 the passing-bell mournfully tolled as we went slowly doAvn 

 the High Street, and stopped at the principal inn, where 

 some few who had some known the departed came to 

 condole with my sisters on the loss they had sustained, 

 and to recall her many excellent qualities. 



