THE ROAD. 
use becomes second nature with us. Even in my 
younger days it was always half an hour's work some- 
times more. There was * Now, ladies and gentlemen, 
what would you like to take ? There 's plenty of time, 
while the horses are changing, for tea, coffee, or supper ; 
and the coachman will wait for you won't you, Mr. 
Smith ? ' Then Mr. Smith himself was in no hurry ; he 
had a lamb about his coach for one butcher in the town, 
and perhaps half a calf for another, a barrel of oysters 
for the lawyer, and a basket of game for the parson, all 
on his own account. In short, the best wheel of the 
coach was his, and he could not be otherwise than 
accommodating," 
The coach arrives at Staines, and the ancient gen- 
tleman puts his intentions into effect, though he was 
near being again too late ; for by the time he could ex- 
tract his hat from the netting that suspended it over his 
head, the leaders had been taken from their bars, and 
were walking up the yard towards their stables. On 
perceiving a fine thorough-bred horse led towards the 
coach with a twitch fastened tightly to his nose, he 
exclaims, " Holloa, Mr. Horse-keeper ! You are going 
to put an unruly horse in the coach." "What! this 
here 055 ? " growls the man ; " the quietest hanimal alive, 
sir ! " as he shoves him to the near side of the pole. At 
this moment, however, the coachman is heard to say in 
somewhat of an under-tone, " Mind what you are about, 
Bob; don't let him touch the roller-bolt." In thirty 
seconds more, they are off " the staid and steady team," 
G2 65 
