TALBOT7042

[printed letterhead:]
Queen’s Hotel
Birmingham

Sept 22^d 1854

My Dear Constance

The weather held up till we got to Rydal, after which there came on a wet evening. We got to Birm^m at ¼ past 9 and slept at the new Queen’s hotel which is a mile from the old one, but kept by the same people. The old Queen’s hotel & the whole station is shut up and discontinued. The new station is a very grand one, and the new hotel much better than the old, and intended to be “on the first scale of excellence”

We started next morning at 8 and should have got to school by dinner time, as usual, if our Engine had not broke [sic] down – by bursting a tube in the boiler This accident occurred 4 miles South of Banbury, and detained us 2 hours – Passengers alighted and walked about, whenever the rain permitted. The scene of our disaster was among green fields, in sight of a remarkably handsome parish church seated on an eminence, a lofty spire; in the best style of English country churches – I enquired of the bystanders the name of this agreeable village and was told it was Kings Sutton.

Our tragedy was not without comedy intermixed – There was a young lady in our carriage, Miss King was her name, who was in such a state of terror and agitation all the time, about nothing, that we were much diverted. She had another lady with her of quiet calm demeanour who was evidently greatly chagrined and ashamed of Miss King, but tried in vain to calm her – To avoid imaginary dangers I am sure she incurred real ones, by walking about in the long wet grass – She was resolved, so she said, instantly to telegraph to her father at Plymouth that she would proceed no further by rail, that day at least, – no she would not – her nerves were so dreadfully shaken. “But, my dear Miss King”, said M^rs A. – “Oh M^rs A. how can you be so calm?” Then she was in great terror lest the next train sh^d run into us – but we could see back, half a mile, and we wanted the help of the next train, to push us on – When we announced that we saw the train actually coming, she was frantic and flung herself on her knees on the ground. We said that the train was slackening speed, but it did not calm her – At length the train came up, and gave us a gentle shove, and then we hooked on, and all jogged on comfortably together – This delay prevented our getting to school till 5 oclock –

I slept that night at Swindon and arrived at Lacock next morning about ½ past 10 The gardens were full of pretty flowers, Wilkins I am sorry to say is far from well – I advised him to see M^r Kenrick again very soon –

Your aff^te
Henry

11 oclock morning – a great storm of wind & rain has just come on, unpleasant for travelling.