THE CHOICE OF A CARRIAGE. 81 



rubber tires on heavy vehicles, and pneumatic or cushion 

 ones on the lighter types, has so greatly offset the item of 

 original outlay and cost of constant renewals that they are 

 now to be seen on the majority of pleasure carriages. It is 

 claimed, and with truth, that the life of a carriage is greatly 

 prolonged by being relieved of much of the wear and tear 

 caused by the vibration incident to vehicles not so equipped. 

 Unless the carriage is fitted with rubber tires when bought, 

 it is an economy to use it as it came from the builder until 

 the ordinary iron tire is worn down, as new iron rims have to 

 be put on to hold the rubber. 



THE CHOICE OF A CARRIAGE. 



When we are comparing simply the relative merits of 

 two articles it is unfair to our better judgment to be blinded 

 by any passing fancy or other prejudice. In choosing a 

 carriage, the selection should be made of the one that is the 

 most practical in construction and that best satisfies the eye 

 of an intelligent and refined person, i.e., a vehicle of a stand- 

 ard design. 



In purchasing carriages the importance of buying the 

 best should be paramount to every other consideration, even 

 to the quality of the harness and horses, if needs be. A 

 broken trace is less likely to cause a fatal accident than is 

 the giving way of defective springs, axle or pole. The pur- 

 chase of unreasonably cheap vehicles is one of the most 

 ephemeral economies a person indulges in, and, as events too 

 often prove, the greatest folly he can commit. In many 

 instances such mistakes are made more from ignorance of 

 the danger incurred than from any parsimony. 



Thus a customer, having reduced his choice to one of 



