The Coachmaster 



he loved Ridley and had lifted him out of 

 his dull labouring life, and had taught him 

 his honourable and more remunerative 

 business, and he treated him ever as an 

 elder son. I mind well how one day about 

 that time, my Father came home and told 

 us of his meeting with Ridley on the road, 

 who was driving the four greys, and how 

 he had noticed his fidgety and impatient 

 handling of reins and whip. 



'' Poor Ridley ! poor lad ! " said he, sadly 

 and kindly ; '' he's not at peace with him- 

 self, and his poor beasts have to suffer for 

 it." 



A few years later Ridley, who by that 

 time had gone sadly wrong, started an 

 opposition coach to my Father, and very 

 sore and aggrieved we all felt about the 

 matter. But my Father, after the first shock 

 and astonishment, met Ridley and was by 

 him easily soothed and persuaded to see 

 the matter from his point of view, and 

 came home saying, "Ah, I thought the 

 poor fellow meant nothing wrong by us. I 

 thouofht I knew the dear lad ! " which re- 

 mark caused my Mother to laugh and cry 

 at the same time ; for, with the best heart 

 in the world, she did not share his bene- 

 volent short-sightedness. 



It was all of a piece with his deep 

 68 



