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16

THE BROKEN BRIDGE,

Or, hints for keeping Good Roads.

While Mrs Mason was enjoying the kind hospitality of Gowan-brae, in order to gratify the boys, it was proposed, that the whole family should accompany her to Glenburnie, on an Irish car, a vehicle well adapted to such excursion, and which was consequently a great favourite with the younger part of the family. Just as they finished an early dinner, the car was brought to the door. Robert, the eldest boy begged leave to drive, and, vaulting into his proper station, seized the reins; and, after two gentle strokes with the whip, prevailed on old grey to move forward, which he did very sagaciously, with less speed than cau- tion, until they reached the turnpike road, where he mended his pace into a sober trot, which in less than two hours brought them to the road that turns in to the Glen, or valley of Glenburnie. The road, which winded along the foot of the hills on the north side of the Glen, owed as little to art as any country road in the kingdom. It was very narrow, and much encumbered by loose stones, brought down from the hills above by the winter torrents. “How little trouble would it cost,” said Mr Stewart, “to throw the