B. STOWE.
After leaving York, Mrs. Stowe and her party spent a day or two at
Carlton Rectory, on the edge of Sherwood Forest, in which they enjoyed
a most delightful picnic. From there they were to travel to London by
way of Warwick and Oxford, and of this journey Mrs. Stowe writes as
follows to her son Henry:--
"The next morning we were induced to send our things to London, being
assured by Mr. G. that he would dispatch them immediately with some
things of his own that were going, and that they should certainly
await us upon our arrival. In one respect it was well for us that we
thus rid ourselves of the trouble of looking after them, for I never
saw such blind, confusing arrangements as these English railroads
have.
"When we were set down at the place where we were to change for
Warwick, we were informed that probably the train had gone. At any
rate it could only be found on the other side of the station. You
might naturally think we had nothing to do but walk across to the
other side. No, indeed! We had to ascend a flight of stairs, go
through a sort of tubular bridge, and down another pair of stairs.
When we got there the guard said the train was just about to start,
and yet the ticket office was closed. We tried the door in vain. 'You
must hurry,' said the guard. 'How can we?' said I, 'when we can't get
tickets.' He went and thumped, and at last roused the dormant
intelligence inside.
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