'THE FARMER AND HIS WIFE.' 453 



this occasion, not omitting the story ; which, so far 

 as I remember, ran something to the following effect, 

 though, in reproducing it, it must, I fear, lose much 

 of the point it gained in the manner of its relation by 

 our host. 



' Not long before you arrived,' so he began, ' a 

 strange and laughable thing happened not far from 

 this place. A farmer and his wife had spent a jovial 

 evening at a friend's house, and had consented, after 

 several pressing invitations, to have "just a parting 

 glass." They then left as they came, the good dame 

 being first firmly seated on the pillion, a customary 

 mode of riding in early days. In crossing a 

 stream they had to go through, the horse stopped to 

 drink, and from some unaccountable or unexplained 

 accident the lady lost her equilibrium, and was 

 precipitated into the water below without the know- 

 ledge of her consort. On his arrival at home, on 

 being asked where his good wife was. he pointed over 

 his shoulder to the vacant seat ; but she was not 

 there. Search was immediately made, and they 

 found her in the brook up to her neck in the refresh- 

 ing; element. On bein"* asked to come out, she 

 replied : " No more, no more, thank 'ee, neither hot 

 nor cold ;" and she was with difficulty rescued from 

 her perilous position.' 



Another story, I call to mind, was told imme- 

 diately on our return to the carriage, after Dulcibdlas 

 victory in the Cesarewitch ; when, being all in good 



