for myself, I have never found the country people anything hut kindly and interested, and indeed quite ready to enjoy the new experience. I remember once somewhere in Somersetshire a herd of most leisurely beasts slowly preceding us on their way to market, entirely declining to make room for us to pass, as is their fashion, and followed by their herdsman. Gradually the procession assumed the form of the beasts travelling at a somewhat, though not much, accelerated speed, the car close behind and the herdsman panting in the rear, till with a complete appreciation of the situation, he hurried up to say, 'Seems to me, measter, if you be going to drive them beasts all the way to market you had better take me up.' The market fortunately was not far distant, but I think the herdsman would not have objected to a similar ride as each market day came round.
The old people seem to manifest more curiosity than the young. The school children, it is true, usually line the road and utter shouts of which I have never been able to discern the significance, or seek the delight, to me, I confess, wholly unintelligible, of throwing their caps under the advancing car. But when a car stops old people invariably surround it with criticism and inquiry. The witticism, 'Seems to me, measter, your horse can't get on without drinking any more than ourn,' never fails, and many an old lady gladly accepts the experience of a ride to the end of her village and back again. I wish I could add that horses in the country manifested more indifference than their owners. But I am afraid it is just the old agricultural horse, who looks wise enough to know better, that exhibits an unexpected excitement, unless indeed he is standing unlocked after by his master, in which case his indifference to the passing car is usually beyond all praise.
We have in the motor-car of the good type to-day a new and growing source of health, of pleasure and advantage, and we, who have been the first to avail ourselves of it, may without undue exaltation congratulate ourselves on our wisdom and those who follow us on our example.
