158 THE COACHING ERA 



hated "Boney," whose terrifying personality exercised 

 a spell of awe in all British nurseries. 



At the different stages the guard retailed as much 

 information as could be crammed into the brief period 

 assigned by his Way-bill, which had to be stridlly 

 adhered to, viftory or no vi6lory, or the Post Office 

 would require to know the reason ; nor would they 

 consider the news of a national vi6fory a fitting excuse 

 for lost time. 



Where postal business had to be transafted, and 

 the stoppages were in consequence of longer duration, 

 the red coated guard became a person of the greatest 

 importance, and was surrounded by a group of listeners 

 eagerly demanding more definite and explicit tidings. 

 Some of the questioners had relatives at the seat of war, 

 and these awaited his news with fast beating hearts, for 

 to them a battle had poignant and personal interest, 

 and the word vi6lory held no significance till they were 

 assured it had not been purchased at the expense of 

 lives they held inexpressibly dear. 



Sometimes the guard would bring down a copy of 

 a newspaper when his dignity was increased tenfold, 

 for a newspaper was no everyday occurrence, and the 

 country-folk had implicit belief in everything printed 

 thereon; and since few of them could read they accorded 

 unstinted admiration to the guard who could. 



As the circulation of newspapers became general, 

 and the provincial interest in politics in consequence 

 more adlive, the result of some noteworthy trial or 

 legislation was awaited with the keenest impatience. 



