DOWN THE ROAD 123 



As the intending passenger drove through the streets 

 they looked dismal and deserted, with here and there a 

 dissipated reveller, returning home unsteadily after a 

 "wet" night. At the inn yard, however, all was bustle 

 and confusion; porters and hangers-on fought for the 

 possession of his bag, whilst all "the cries of London" 

 seemed to be assembled for the express purpose of 

 making him buy oranges, pencils, brooms, rat-traps, 

 cucumbers, lavender, and various other commodities, all 

 equally inappropriate as preparation for a long coach 

 ride. 



The coaches themselves were the great centre of 

 attraftion, for they were loading up with all speed and 

 expedition. Luggage was piled up on the roof as high 

 as Acts of Parliament permitted, and then covered 

 with tarpaulin and secured with stout straps. Smaller 

 articles innumerable were crammed into the boot, till 

 even the guard was bound to admit that it could hold no 

 more. Not to be outdone he tied bandboxes, game, 

 baskets of fish, and other light articles on to the hind 

 axle-tree, lamp irons, and all other available parts of 

 the coach. 



The inevitable old lady would be heard fussing about 

 her luggage, being firmly of the impression that the 

 guard meant to defraud her of it: 



"Now, ma'am, make haste, put your best leg foremost, 

 or you'll be just in time to be too late." "Wait a minute, 

 coachman, till I just see that my luggage is all right: 

 have you got the blue bandbox, Betty?" "Yes, ma'am." 

 "Where's the large corded trunk?" "John's bringing 



