"Thereupon, I and my mother left the room, and went towards the back door, where Healy had just alighted, and was bringing sundry packages into the kitchen. "'Have you got my bat, Healy?' said I. "'No, sir,' he replied; 'there wasn't one in the whole town the size you wanted; but I'll bring you one from S. as I pass to-morrow. I know they've got 'em there. I believe that's all, Ma'am?' he added, addressing my mother. "She said she believed it was, and was going to pay him his week's account, which she had asked for, but he hurried out, saying, 'Another time, if you please, Ma'am; I'm rather late to-night;' and he was in his cart and away before I had time to give him some directions in regard to the bat. "'What a hurry he's in!' I said; 'and it wants almost twenty minutes to nine now.' "'I suppose he has a great many places to stop at,' said my mother; 'if he don't get all his parcels delivered before people are gone to bed, he gets into trouble sometimes. He's a very punctual fellow certainly.' "We returned to the drawing-room, and resumed our occupations; and about half-an-hour afterwards--happening to be all silent at the moment, we heard a pair of light wheels and a brisk trotting horse passing in the road. "'That's farmer Gould's mare, I'm sure,' said I. 'What a famous trotter she is!' "'Yes,' said my father; 'I wish he'd part with her. I made him an offer the other day. I should like her for my buggy.' "'And what did he say? Won't he sell her?' "'He said nothing--he only laughed, and shook his fat sides.' "'Money is no object to him,' said my mother, 'he won't part with her unless he gets another he likes better.' "We breakfasted at nine o'clock, and I was getting up, and about half dressed, when one of my sisters burst into my room, crying, 'La! Fred., such a shocking thing has happened! poor Farmer Gould was found dead in the road this morning; they think his horse ran away, for it's not to be found; and the chaise was upset and lying on its side. How lucky, papa did not get the mare!' "'Who says so?' said I. "'The postman;' she answered, 'he saw some labourers standing round something in the road; and when he came up to them, he found it was the chaise, and poor farmer Gould quite dead beside it!' "When I got down stairs I found the whole house occupied with the subject of this sad accident, all lamenting the good man, who was a general favourite, and agreeing that, for so heavy a person, a two-wheeled carriage was very dangerous, as a fall was almost sure to be fatal. "My father said when he had finished his letters and papers he would walk up to the farm, and see if he could be of any use to poor Mrs. Gould; I, with the curiosity of fifteen, begged to go with him; and my mother improved the occasion by giving the governor a serious lecture about his love for high-trotting horses and buggies.