56 Hunting m the Golden Days. 



of this, I must give one incident. An old lady was one 

 day entering the coach with a lap dog and a lot of 

 parcels, and stuck half way in the door. Instead of 

 getting in she got off the step again to remonstrate with 

 the guard for having such small doors to the coach. 



John immediately grasped the situation, and shouted 

 out to the guard : *' Now then, William, don't stand 

 right in front of the doorway. Don't you see the 

 lady wants to get in ? Hold her parcels and help 

 her in, can't you ? for we are late, and I don't want 

 to race the hosses off their legs if I can help it." 



The old lady took the hint, as she was nervous, and was 

 the same way of thinking as the coachman about the 

 horses being raced off their legs. 



Sometimes he would come across the hounds on his 

 journey, and should he think the fox had crossed the 

 road, good sportsman as he was, he would pull up for 

 fear of spoiling the scent. From his exalted position 

 on the box he had a fine bird's-eye view of the 

 surrounding country, and oft-times viewed the fox. 

 To see him rein up his team, lift his hat high above 

 his head, and give a musical *' Tally-ho ! " was a sight 

 worthy of the good old English sportsm^an he was. 



Then, too, what news he carried from town to town ! 

 He was almost as good as a newspaper, and so true was 

 he to time that the villagers set their clocks by his 

 coach. At Christmas it was a cheery sight to see 

 the coach loaded with hampers and game, all 

 presents that were forwarded with good wishes from 

 their several donors. For in those days a good deal 

 more present-making went on amongst friends than 

 nowadays. That is one of the good old customs which, 

 like stage coaches, have died out. 



There was not a driver on the road who could teach 



