e. We had proceeded to within eighteen miles of
Newbern, when suddenly, as the Squire and I were lighting our second
after-dinner segars, 'kerchunk' went one of the forward wheels, and over
went the coach in a twinkling. I saved myself by clinging to the seat,
but Preston was not so fortunate. The first I saw of him he was immersed
in a pool of water some ten feet distant. Luckily the ground was soft,
and he escaped personal injury. When he rose to his feet, his coat, like
Joseph's, was of many colors, a dull clayey-red predominating.

It was fortunate for the clay-eating feminine that her conversation had
disgusted me. Had she remained outside she might have sighed for her
'Bonaparty' in the torrid region of which she had spoken.

The other passengers escaped with a few bruises, and after an hour's
exercise with rails and saplings, we succeeded in prying the wheels out
of the mire. Then the driver discovered that one of the horses had lost
his shoes, and insisted on having them replaced before he proceeded. We
were midway between two 'relay-houses,' each being six miles distant,
and the Jehu decided on taking the shoeless horse back to the one we had
passed. As he was unharnessing the animal, I said to him:

'You say there is a blacksmith at each station--why not go on to the one
ahead? It will save time.'

'The boy at Tom's Store's ran off. Thar an't nary a nig thar to hold the
critter's huff.'

'Can not the blacksmith do that himself? I never heard of it's taking
two men to shoe one horse!'

'Wall, it do, stranger. I reckon ye never done that sort o' bisness.'

'But, can't _you_ do it?'

'_I_ do it! My bisness ar drivin' hosses, not shoein' on 'em. When I
takes ter thet I'll let ye know!'

He had then taken off the harness and was preparing to mount the animal.

'Come, come, my good fellow, don't go back for that. Go on, and _I'll_
hold the horse's feet.'

'_Ye_ hold 'em! I reckon ye wull! I'd like to see a man uv yer cloth a
holdin' a critter's fut! Ha! ha!' Then throwing his leg over the horse's
bare back, he added: 'We doan't cum it over trav'lers thet way, in these
diggin's--we doan't. We use 'em like folks--we do. Ye can bet yer pile
on thet!'

Preston had been quietly enjoying the dialogue, and as the driver rode
away, said to me:

'I knew you wouldn't make any thing out of him. Come, let us walk on; a
little exercise, after our warm work, will do us good.'

Leaving the other passengers to awai