Salisbury.

 

On that occasion, I was moving down a long, straight road with wide meadows on

either side of me. In fact, the land had become very open and flat at that

point, enabling one to see a considerable distance in all directions, and the

spire of Salisbury Cathedral had become visible on the skyline up ahead. A

tranquil mood had come over me, and for this reason I believe I was again

motoring very slowly - probably at no more than fifteen miles per hour. This was

just as well, for I saw only just in time a hen crossing my path in the most

leisurely manner. I brought the Ford to a halt only a foot or two from the fowl,

which in turn ceased its journey, pausing there in the road in front of me. When

after a moment it had not moved, I resorted to the car horn, but this had no

effect other than to make the creature commence pecking at something on the

ground. Rather exasperated, I began to get out and had one foot still on the

running board when I heard a woman's voice call:

 

"Oh, I do beg your pardon, sir."

 

Glancing round, I saw I had just passed on the roadside a farm cottage - from

which a young woman in an apron, her attention no doubt aroused by the horn, had

come running. Passing me, she swooped up the hen in her arms and proceeded to

cradle it as she apologized to me again. When I assured her no harm had been

done, she said:

 

"I do thank you for stopping and not running poor Nellie over. She's a good