124 RIDING FOR LADIES. 



pull of the reins shall be in the proper place — namely, at the 

 top of the withers. If you find nothing to correct, you 

 may account yourself fortunate ; if, on the contrary, you 

 perceive that anything is amiss or out of place, signify the 

 same quietly to the groom, and then go indoors, or turn 

 aside, while he rectifies it. There is something positively 

 unkind in standing staring at a servant while he attends to 

 matters which you have pointed out to him for correction. 

 Ten to one, if you do so, he will grow confused beneath 

 your scrutiny, and will leave his task imperfectly accom- 

 plished. Consideration for others ought at all times to be 

 a part of your religion. Give no unnecessary trouble ; do as 

 much for yourself as you possibly can ; never speak harshly 

 to even the humblest ; strive to put everybody at ease ; look 

 away from an embarrassed person until he has recovered 

 his composure ; and if you detect a failure or shortcoming 

 in a servant's work, tell him gently about it — quietly, and 

 without impatience — and it will probably be rectified very 

 much sooner than if you scolded or stormed. For my 

 own part, I have no liking for grooms at all, and regard 

 most of them as the veriest eye servers ; but I know there 

 are times when they are unjustly blamed. In this matter 

 I once got a useful lesson at an English country house. 

 My horse was brought to the door without a lip-strap, and 

 with things in general so very indifferently turned out that, 

 being in a hurry, I got provoked, and began to say more 

 than my custom usually was. The groom, whose eyes 

 were cast down, looked pitifully at me as he answered, 

 " Forgive me to-day, ma'am, please. My little child died 



