politeness is to withdraw. But they even go beyond a censurable
urgency; for an old gentleman and lady, evidently unaccustomed
to travelling, had given themselves in charge of a driver, who
placed them in his coach, leaving the door open while he went
back seeking whom he might devour. Presently a rival coachman
came up and said to the aged and respectable couple,--

"Here's a carriage all ready to start."

"But," replied the lady, "we have already told the gentleman
who drives this coach that we would go with him."

"Catch me to go in that coach, if I was you!" responded the
wicked coachman. "Why, that coach has had the small-pox in it."

The lady started up in horror. At that moment the first driver
appeared again; and Satan entered into me, and I felt in my
heart that I should like to see a fight; and then conscience
stepped up and drove him away, but consoled me by the assurance
that I should see the fight all the same, for such duplicity
deserved the severest punishment, and it was my duty to make
an expose and vindicate helpless innocence imposed upon in the
persons of that worthy pair. Accordingly I said to the driver,
as he passed me,--

"Driver, that man in the gray coat is trying to frighten the
old lady and gentleman away from your coach, by telling them
it has had the small-pox."

Oh! but did not the fire flash into his honest eyes, and leap