140 THE COACHING ERA 



His worldly affairs being settled, the traveller was 

 next instrufted how to go to the coach office and secure 

 a seat on a coach. Like most things in life, the author 

 proved there was a right and a wrong way of doing this 

 seemingly simple performance. If left to himself the 

 traveller was sure to choose the wrong one, but if he 

 abided diligently by the advice of the "Oracle" he 

 could rest assured that his actions and the coach office 

 would be all that was circumsped and corre6l. 



With respeft to a seat on the outside of a coach. Dr. 

 Kitchiner forestalled Mr. Punch's advice famous to 

 those about to marry, and said "Don't," and said it, 

 moreover, most emphatically. If the traveller ignored 

 this advice, Dr. Kitchiner disclaimed all responsibility 

 for one so rash, but that he might not be altogether 

 abandoned he gave a few hints to alleviate the ills 

 which must inevitably ensue. He counselled the "out- 

 sider" to wear two shirts and two pairs of stockings; to 

 turn up the collar of his greatcoat, tie a handkerchief 

 round it, and to make sure he had plenty of straw to bury 

 his feet in. 



Inside travellers received valuable advice which was 

 warranted to add to their comfort very materially. 

 They were told to change their position as much as 

 possible; to lean back then forward, or sideways, by 

 which contortions they might hope to avoid the cramp 

 which so unerringly seized the limbs of inside passengers. 



If the rest of the company were surly, and insisted on 

 keeping both windows shut till the atmosphere of the 

 coach was unbearable, the traveller was to ponder well 



