His Birthplace and its Influences. 13 



place the other in its stead. His one real 

 anxiety seemed to be about his gaiters, with- 

 out which he never went abroad, and so 

 much store did he set by them that when his 

 sons had to pass through an ordeal of any un- 

 common kind (such as a competitive exam- 

 ination or making an offer of marriage), he 

 invariably offered to lend them his gaiters. 

 He entreated permission to wear them on 

 his own wedding day ; and on being refused, 

 tucked them into his pocket and put them on 

 when fairly off with his bride for Northamp- 

 ton Station. Occasionally he picked up queer- 

 looking garments in out-of-the-way places. 

 One huge white driving coat I well remem- 

 ber ; it had six capes, and possibly once 

 belonged to the driver of a stage coach. 

 Arrayed in this, and pacing up and down a 

 railway platform, talking to himself, or rather, 

 repeating aloud some quaint story he had 

 heard or read, he often attracted attention. 

 One day I was seated on a bench in a rail- 

 way station when a gentleman remarked to 

 me, ' What eccentric characters you meet 

 everywhere ! Only look at that fellow in the 

 queer coat, muttering to himself like a man 



