Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-10-29


who presented me with my brandy and cigar
large room with about forty persons sitting
at long table, evidently waiting with I'M
patience for the 'Po,age' to begin their din.
ner. Whether it was they enjoyed the joke
of having neglected to call me, or that they
were laughing at my travelling costume,
cannot say, but the moment came in, l
could perceive a general litter run through
the assembly. Not too late, after all, gen.
tlemen,' said !, marching gravely up to the
table.
".Monsieur is in excellent timc,' said the
host, making room for me beside his chair.
outstanding the incumbrance Of my
weighty habiliments, proceeded 10 do am
pie Justice to the viands before me, apolo-
gsing laughingly to the host by pleading a
travclers's appetite.
"Tlen ym, have perhaps come far this
morning. said gentleman opposite.
"'Yes,' said |, Il have been on the road
since four O'clock
"'And how are the roads = said another.
very bad said /, the first few stapes from
Lyons, afterwards much better This was
said at venture, as began 10 be ashamed
of being always asleep before my fellow ira
lyellers. They did not-seem, however, to
understand me perfectly; and one old fell
low . ,tting down his spectacles from his FORE
head, leaned over and said And where,
may 1 ask, has Monsieur come from this
morning 7
a.From Lyons said I, with the proud
air of man vino has done stout feat, and
is not ashmed of the explsit. :
"'From Lyons!' said one. From Lyons y
cried another. From Lyons! repeated a
third.
eyes said I; what the devil is so strange
in il {; travelling is so quick now days, one
thinks nothing Of twenty leagues before din
ner.'
1.-THE Internal shout of laughing that fol-
lowed my explanation is still IN my ears
from one end of the table to the other there
was one continued ha, ha, ha,-from the
greasy host to the little hunchbacked waiter
they were all grinning away.
"And how did Monsieur ,ravel7' said the
old GENTLEMAN, who seemed to carry on the
prosecution against me.
"By the diligence, the 'Aiglc noir,' sale
|, giving the name with some pride, that
was no, altogether ,guoran, of,he conveyanc
"'Then you should certainly not complain
of the roads, said the host, chnckiing 80
the only journey the diligence has made ,h
day has been from the street door to the inf
yard for as they found when the luggage
was nearly packed tina, the axle was almos
broken through, they wheeled j, around Il
the court, and prepared another for the ira
vellers.'
"Aid where am now" said I.
"'ln Lyons said twenty voices, hal
choked with laughter at my question.
was ,hunderslruck at the news at first
but as proceeded with my dinner, joine.
in the mirth Of the party, which was certainl.
not diminished on my telling them the objee
on my Intended journey.
81 think, young man. said the old fel
low with the spectacles, that you SHOULD
take the occurrence as warning Of Provi
dence that marriage will not suit you
began to be Of the same opinion but thc
there was the jointure. To be sure, wa
To give up tobacco and perhaps shout
not be as free to ramble about as when e.
garcon. So taking all things into considera
ton, Iordered in another bottle of burgundy
10 drink Mrs. Rams health.