The Argosy — page 143: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

128 In the New Forest. Passing along the high road, now rising to the top of the hill, and obtaining a distant view of Southampton Water ; now sinking into the valley and skirting the woods on either side; after a drive of about ten miles from the Compton Arms you reach the quaint little town of Ringwood. Even here, all down the public road, that day, we had it to ourselves, never meeting with anyone; until, getting into Ringwood, we came upon a huge waggon, driven by a huge waggoner, who was apparently of many minds, for he seemed to be going all ways at once. : Some hours after, in returning, we overtook this unfortunate being, crawling along in a very unhinged condition, waggon, horses, and all. nS Se era 3 aig = Uf CHARCOAL BURNERS’ HUT. He asked the way to a town from which he was every moment re- ceding, and when put right, turned in a dazed, hopelessly intoxicated condition. The chances were that six o’clock the next morning saw him still wandering about the earth, without a local habitation or a name: unless time had restored to him the right use of what senses he possessed. ‘Time does for the most part lay bare to us our faults, and with relentless finger holds up to the light of our conscience our mistakes in life. Ringwood is a quiet, somewhat primitive little town. Entering, as we did, from the solitudes of the New Forest—from nowhere, as it were—it appeared very far out of the world, and one almost won- dered at the reason of its existence. It seemed so very useless and unnecessary. This, of course, was the mere effect of fancy. It not only exists, but was apparently an enterprising little place, consisting Gomicbooks (C(O)