A Coach Bide to Eafaida, 289 



spring just as the cars stopped — to secure the seats. 

 He accomplished the feat in fine style. Two strap- 

 ping clerks went on the top — grumbling. We had 

 eighty three miles to go with miserable horses. 

 Presently it began to rain, and then to pour ; the 

 night was pitch dark ; the streams swollen, and the 

 hills high and slippery ; we traveled scarcely more 

 than three miles an hour, as, at every steep hill, we 

 had to get out. To go over shoe tops was a small 

 affair ; I plunged in up to my knees. To crown all, 

 Mrs. G.'s sympathies compelled her to invite the 

 strangers on the to}) into the coach. Mr. G. took 

 her on his lap, and I had the two men on either 

 side of me, soaked with rain, smashing me into a 

 cocked hat. So we crawled along for twenty-two 

 hours. A bridge had been washed away. I and the 

 other gentlemen crossed on the sleepers, while Mrs. 

 O. kept possession of the coach — delighted at the idea 

 of an adventure. At length we reached Eufeula in 

 safety ; express riders had announced our coming. 

 Mr. D., a wealthy planter, with a pretty young wife, 

 gives, to-day, a dinner party and a great deer hunt, 

 on my account, they tell me. They have learned 

 here that I am a good shot, if I am good for nothing 

 else. I have, however, declined to go, as 1 am very 

 hoarse from exposure, and cannot speak above a 

 whisper. I have had to disappoint these kind peo- 

 ple, who had made up their minds that I was to 

 preach for them. Instead I became a listener, and 

 heard three pretty good sermons during the da}^ — 

 one from a Baptist, the second from an Episcopalian, 

 and the third from a Methodist. I should have 

 omitted the night service, for I increased my cold — 

 the lady doctors are dosing me with catnip tea, and 

 nursing me up. I am better, and hope to be suffi- 

 ciently well to tie a knot to-morrow evening, that 

 neither the devil nor his anoels can break. 



