Page:Life's little ironies (1894).pdf/203

‘And he ought to be punctual,” said the carrier. “Four o’clock sharp is my time for starting,’ I said to ’eu. And he said, “I'll! be there.’ Now he’s not here ; and as a serious old Church minister he ought to be as good aa his word. Perhaps Mr. Flaxten knows, being in the same line of life ?? He turned to the parish-clerk,

“I was talking an immense deal with him, that’s true, half an hour ago,” replied that ecclesiastic, as one of whom it was ve erroneous supposition that he should be on intimate terms with another of the cloth.

"But he didn’t say he would be late.”

The discussion was cut off by the appearance round the corner of the van of rays from the curate’s spectacles, followed hastily by his face and a few white whiskers, and the swinging tails of his long gaunt coat. Nobody reproached him, seeing how he was reproaching himself ; and he entered breathlessly and took bis seat.

“Now be we all here?’ said the carrier again. They started a second time, and moved on till they were about three handred yards out of the town, and had nearly reached the second bridge, behind which, as every native remembers, the road takes a turn and travellers by this highway disappear finally from the view of gazing burghers.

"Well, as I’m alive!" cried the postmistress from the interior of the conveyance, peering through the littie square back window along the road townward.

“What?” said the carrier.

“A man hailing us!”

Another sudden stoppage. “Somebody else?” the carrier asked.

“ Aye, sure!” All waited silently, while those who could gaze out did so.

“Now, who can that be?” Burthen continued. “I