COACHING DAYS AND WAYS 



horses at wheel, whose strides were of rather 

 unequal length, and this operated powerfully on 

 the coach. In short, the lurches of the Regulator 

 were awful at the moment of the Comet meeting 

 her. A tyro in mechanics would have exclaimed, 

 **The centre of gravity must be lost, the centri- 

 fugal force will have the better of it — over she 

 must go! ** 



* The centre of gravity having been preserved, 

 the coach arrived safe at Hartford Bridge ; but the 

 old gentleman has again had enough of it. ** I 

 will walk into Devonshire," said he, as he descended 

 from his perilous exaltation. '* What did that rascally 

 waiter mean by telling me this was a slow coach ? 

 and moreover, look at the luggage on the roof ! " 

 "Only regulation height, sir," says the coachman; 

 *'we aren't allowed to have it an inch higher; 

 sorry we can't please you, sir, but we will try 

 and make room for you in front." *^ Fronti nulla 

 fides,** muttQYS the worthy to himself, as he walks 

 tremblingly into the house — adding, " I shall not 

 give this fellow a shilling ; he is dangerous." 



* The Regulator being off, the waiter is again 

 applied to. *' What do you charge per mile posting?" 



38 



