AND DEMERITS OF THE MOTOR-CAR 29 



that there is a feeling of discomfort about them, and 

 if one of the loops by which you pull on your top 

 boots parts company it is difficult to breathe a prayer. 

 Then that infernal tie won't allow itself to come into 

 the proper fold ; the breakfast bell rings, and when 

 you reach the table you find there is mighty little 

 time at your disposal ; in fact, you have hardly set to 

 work before a grinding of the gravel outside the 

 window tells that " the hack is at the door." 



But the pulsation you feel is very "wild," and the 

 world is not going very well with you, for here is a 

 man to "spake with your honour," and perchance a 

 dear old lady with a pleasing tale of Reynard the fox 

 and the fate of certain "bins," and it may be geese. 

 If you are a "District Manager" — and that doubtful 

 honour is mine — be sure this is the moment you will 

 be assailed, and it behoves you, in spite of your feel- 

 ings, to behave with tact and courtesy. You dispose 

 of the lady and prepare to treat the masculine visitor 

 in distinctly different fashion ; perchance it is a tale 

 of woe ; j)erhaps only a neighbour with a sample of 

 oats or hay — but, " Why always on a hunting morn- 

 ing ? " you ask yourself ; and before the matter is 

 settled you have given the Recording Angel some 

 little work to begin the day with. 



Then spurs and overcoat are caught up and ad- 

 justed, gloves and hat pulled on, whip stuck in the 

 trap, smoke set going, and at last you are under 

 way quite fifteen minutes behind time, with ten 

 miles in front of you and the road — as roads in this 

 country always are at this time of year — a sheet of 

 stones. Twice in the first five miles the poor hack 



