528 THE CARE OF LIVERY. 



vant's return to the stable he should remove his gloves, hat, 

 coat and waistcoat. These parts of the livery should be care- 

 fully hung up in the livery room until the servant has per- 

 formed such work as requires more immediate attention. 

 He should take the precaution to protect his breeches or 

 trousers from becoming stained or besmeared by putting on 

 a green baize apron, such as is worn by butlers. It is sur- 

 prising the accidents that may happen to the livery, as a 

 result of the thoughtlessness of a well meaning but impru- 

 dent servant. At one time or another the hat is injured by 

 the horse or the reins knocking it off, the coat torn on a 

 hook, the breeches stained by grease, or the livery damaged 

 by similar unexpected mishaps. 



FIG. 233. 



The dogskin gloves should be sponged off now and then 

 with a little saddle soap, the hat kept brushed, and if a silk 

 one it should be ironed occasionally ; the coat, waistcoat and 

 trousers brushed and kept free from wrinkles. Any slight 

 spots may be removed by the use of a cloth dampened with 

 benzine. All metal buttons should be cleaned with plate 

 powder, and afterwards rubbed over with a black chamois. 

 In cleaning the buttons a guard (see Fig. 233) should be used 

 to protect the cloth from the plate powder. This guard is 

 made of a narrow and thin strip of wood or brass with a 

 hole at one end large enough to admit the largest button ; 

 from the lower side of the opening a slit extends to within 



