FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



often most extraordinary in cut, color, and con- 

 ception, and too often of the " hand-me-down " 

 patterns of the ready-made establishments, while, 

 if breeches pass muster, boots are apt to be shock- 

 ing, and to look as if James wore them while 

 washing the carriage and milking the cow. Again 

 one sees a really fine and perfectly appointed ve- 

 hicle disfigured by the figures and faces of the 

 men in charge, who look as if they might, either 

 of them, fit the innuendo of the London 'bus 

 driver in Punch, who says to such a one, " Now, 

 then, gardener, when will the coachman be well 

 enough to get about again ? " Trim and present- 

 able servants are a most important detail of any 

 establishment, and care in their selection is as im- 

 portant to the general effect as that exercised over 

 horses, carriages, etc., and infinitely more so than 

 the quibbles and squabbles we are constantly 

 obliged to endure while learned authorities (?) 

 ponderously argue over the location of the breast- 

 plate upon the wire of the kidney-link, and the 

 merits of three rivets (clips outside) on the hame 

 tugs, or the relative propriety of square, horse- 

 shoe, or D-shaped blinkers. 



Although seeking to establish rules for such 

 details, yet we allow our servants to assume an 



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