1 8 Tallyho. 



old o-entleman wlio was accustomed to muddle liim- 

 self and liis parts of speecli by tlie too frequent use 

 of the cup that cheers and yet inebriates. Why 

 should the directors of this railway hold out such 

 inducements to travellers to desert their "Lares et 

 Penates " on the Sabbath Day, unless it be in the 

 interests of the proprietors of the Pig and Tinderbox^ 

 the Angel and Half-boots, and the Cat and Cauliflower, 

 or some other of the many hostelries to be found in 

 the quiet old town of Basing, which appear to be 

 waiting open-mouthed for guests. Well, they owe 

 the town some compensation, for the opening of the 

 railroad inflicted serious injuries on the coaching 

 interest, which was largely represented there — how- 

 ever, let that pass, for the train starts military time. 



"Pray, sirree,^^ said an American traveller fresh 

 from the wilds of Arkansas, or some such remote 

 region in Yankee-land, " is this an express en-gine or 

 a huckleberry train ? Wall, I see you don't reckon 

 that up quite," he continued, finding that his query 

 required some explanation. " But, you see, some of 

 the trains in our country air so slow that you have 

 time to git down from the cars and pick the huckle- 

 berries oS" the hedges, and then overtake the en-gine 

 again.'' 



Being assured that there was no fear of such com- 

 plications here, his fears were allayed, whilst his 

 daughter was good enough to pronounce the travelling 

 in the old country to be " rale elegant." The passen- 

 ger accustomed to travel solely on the branches and 

 loops of this line, on which there is a very prodigality 

 of unpunctuality, and where " time is never the essence 

 of the contract '' between the directors and their 



