The Argosy — page 332: what you’re looking at

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

Letters from Majorca. 313 have no wish to lose my companion, and return to England in charge of the departed.” Then if you must go,” said A.; ‘‘if it is so absolutely necessary, why not take the diligence ?” “ Diligence !” I cried. ‘‘This is the first I have heard of any luxury of the sort. When does it start, and from where?” ** At two o’clock, six doors down the road,” replied A. ‘It is now half-past one.” This was really good news. Wejumpedupatonce. H.C. declared he would go and pack—he is really the best packer in the world, whilst I am the worst—and I volunteered to secure places. * Don’t suppose there will be any, at this twelfth hour,” said A. wickedly. ‘‘Shouldn’t have suggested it if I had thought there would be room inside—and they don’t allow you to sit on the cabbages and PTA a) T we Vz: y 4 Go ar hi fa. i So ss —wver rr wT ef WIL Loy ot oe ct LILES = ‘ ‘(| | } = cS Vy id, eg ie ae AEA PALMA WINDMILLS, cauliflowers on the roof. Don’t want you to go. Bent on another excursion up the Puig Major.” But, as it turned out, there was room and to spare. In less than no time we were packed up, the bill was paid, and we were ready to start. There was the usual crowd in attendance upon the diligence ; a conveyance as hard and hot and uncomfortable as ingenuity could possibly have made it. But we were glad even of this—so does the mind yield to circumstances, the back fit itself to the burden. It was a real burden in this instance. The interior was empty. We entered and took our seats. ‘Two women followed us almost immediately : a stout lady with a market basket, and another stout lady with a market umbrella. The basket nearly fractured my ribs, the usual thing in a diligence; the umbrella was firmly planted upon H. C.’s favourite toe. He literally howled with agony ; it was as bad as that bygone scene with the prickly pears. Upon which the odious woman viciously removed her umbrella to his other foot, and then . CORINELMO© <S (S©)