STANHOPES AND FASHIONABLE CARRIAGES. 22,3 



who has not had an escape out of a gig ; and as for 

 myself, I have had a dozen — some of which I now 

 shudder to think of. Some ridiculous scenes, however, 

 often occur. A brother-in-law of mine was once return- 

 ing from shooting with a friend, whom nothing would 

 satisfy but taking a favourite pointer into the gig with 

 them to save his feet. They had not proceeded far, 

 when the dog contrived to get one of his paws beyond 

 the footboard, and stuck his claws, unobserved by the 

 party into the horse's rump. The moment the mill 

 began his friend jumped out ; and recovering his legs, 

 ran after the gig (which the horse was kicking to atoms 

 with my brother-in-law in it), crying out, ' Take care of 

 my new gun ! Pray take care of my new gun ! ' My 

 poor brother-in-law, however, had enough to do to take 

 care of himself ; for although he escaped with his life, he 

 pitched upon his head in the road, and feels the effects of 

 his fall to this day. 



A still better anecdote than this is related of a eentle- 

 man in Staffordshire. Meeting with his nephew one 

 day in London, they began to compare notes, and it 

 appeared that each was bound for Oxford, the next 

 morning. ' How do you travel ?' said the nephew. ' I 

 shall post it,' replied the uncle. ' You had better come 

 with me in my gig,' rejoined the nephew : ' we shall do it 

 comfortably in ten hours.' 'D — n your gigs!' said the 

 old one : ' I hate the very sight of them.' ' Oh,' replied 

 the young one, ' mine is the quietest horse in England. 

 A lighted cracker tied to his tail would not alarm him ; 

 and as to milling, he does not know what it is.' 



