1 8 Hunting in the Golden Days. 



says Mrs. Stores, " but that there will be young bucks 

 with whom he will have to contend, and it is as well 

 to carry on these occasions as many guns as possible." 

 Still it must be admitted at the same time that 

 Mrs. Stores has a great horror of Goodbery's visits, 

 for she well knows the traps laid by widows for 

 wealthy bachelors, and has no liking for the idea of 

 having a mistress to lord it over her where she has been 

 in sole control for close on a quarter of a century. 

 However, the necessary preparations are completed at 

 last, and the family coach is ordered out for the 

 occasion. 



A grand old carriage it is, hung on a perch with 

 ample hammer-cloth, with a strong flavour inside of 

 must and moths, the coat-of-arms emblazoned on the 

 panels, and a pistol-case behind as a warning to gentle- 

 men of the road that weapons are carried in case of 

 need. There are doubtless many good sportsmen in the 

 present day who drive mail-phaetons hung upon a perch, 

 but do not know the original cause of construction of 

 that old-fashioned part of the vehicle. It was con- 

 structed for the purpose of keeping the pole from oscil- 

 lating too freely and thereby damaging the right leg of 

 the post-boy. 



The coachman is dressed in his best livery, his 

 flowing skirts, well-curled white wig, and flesh-coloured 

 stockings giving an air of importance to the equipage. 

 Everything is got ready in good time, for the pair of 

 heavy shires, although they look capable of drawing a 

 laden wagon, must go at their own pace, for the roads 

 are heavy and the journey long. 



Mr. Goodbery's trunk is safely strapped on the pon- 

 derous coach, his footmen mount behind, and the two 

 good horses are at length fairly on their journey. 



