SOME EQUINE MISCHANCES 



just in time, with scarcely a second to spare, to 

 present ourselves, a panting and perspiring pair, 

 as Royalty descended from the carriages. The 

 successful accomplishment of the feat further 

 testified to our staying powers, and left us no 

 room to doubt, but that we were sound in wind 

 and limb. To myself, the greatest gain of all 

 was that it has furnished me with a reminiscence, 

 which, even after this lapse of time, never fails to 

 call up a smile whenever I think of it ; no small 

 benefit when one is inclined to take oneself too 

 seriously. 



On that particular day, as it happened, some 

 of the distinguished persons who were in vehicles 

 had no reason to congratulate themselves on 

 being there, for there was a remarkable series 

 of equine mishaps. One vehicle was overturned, 

 another broke down, and the steeds attached to a 

 third could not be induced to start at all. Happily 

 Royalty was exempt from these mischances, and 

 no one suffered anything worse than a shaking. 

 In my mind's eye I shall long see the closing 

 incident of that eventful day. It is an animated 

 picture of a swaying wagonette attached to a 

 couple of apparently fiery, untamed steeds, " kick- 

 ing up behind and before," with two Cabinet 

 Ministers hanging on to their heads, and the burly 

 figure of the then Premier gripping the sides of 

 the vehicle to save himself from being deposited 

 outside of it. All around are uprising voices 

 beseeching his lordship to descend and run no 

 more risks, and, when at last he responds to these 

 entreaties, I see the steeds, satisfied at having 

 relieved themselves of so precious a consignment, 



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