PICCADILLY. 213 



order breakfast an important measure for unless 

 you commence the day well, how can you expect to 

 conclude it satisfactorily ? " Waiter ! cutlets of Severn 

 salmon plain, slices of ham carefully broiled, plovers' 

 eggs, coffee and curacoa at 11.30." "Yes, sir! Any- 

 thing more, sir ? " " No that is to say, you may 

 throw in a leg of a spring chicken devilled, of 

 course/' " Yes, sir ! any wine, sir ? " and that 

 question set me thinking there- are some people who 

 hold that the proper time to take champagne is mid- 

 day. I would not for the world attempt to bias others 

 by giving an opinion, and I prefer leaving the matter 

 to local option, lest I should appear to be interfering 

 with freedom of opinion. " Well, yes," was my 

 reply, " a bottle of old Pommery the same as I had 

 at dinner the other day." Then the cheery winding 

 of a well-blown horn announced the coming of the 

 Windsor coach, which starts at 10.30 daily (Sundays 

 excepted) from Hatchett's, travelling via Richmond, 

 Twickenham, Hampton Court, over Staines Bridge, to 

 the well-known White Hart Hotel. Weather per- 

 mitting, this coach invariably starts with a good load, 

 and is admirably horsed, as well as cleverly, carefully, 

 and punctually tooled over the pleasant line of road, by 

 its experienced proprietor, Mr. H. Bailey, by whose side 

 I have enjoyed an agreeable ride on several occasions. 

 Having taken up its load, the Windsor coach moves off, 

 and quickly disappears down Piccadilly. By this time 

 there is a crowd of lookers-on assembled to witness 

 the coming and going of the stages some mere idlers, 

 some old, time-worn, horsey-looking men, whose apparel 

 oft proclaims the man to have been at one time or 

 other connected with the road. Then you may observe 



