CH. V APRONS 99 



over the lap, reaching from a little below the waist 

 to the ankles, and long enough the other way to 

 tuck under the legs on both sides, so as to be sat 

 upon. This is for the purpose of keeping dust, and 

 any dirt from the reins, off the trousers. When it 

 is worn for warmth it must be of thicker material, 

 and fastened around the waist by a strap, so that 

 when the wearer stands up it is much like a skirt. 

 An apron of this kind does not, however, protect 

 the feet from cold ; it is better to have one long 

 enough to go under the feet. 



In cold weather it is well for the box passenger 

 to have a small, soft rug, to be wrapped round his 

 legs in the same way, under the box-apron, since 

 from the position of the coachman's legs, an open- 

 ing letting in cold air, is left necessarily at the side, 

 under any apron covering both persons. 



The fashions of coaching having originated in a 

 country where fur robes are but little used, there 

 seems to be a certain lack of appropriateness in 

 using a fur robe on the box, although there is, of 

 course, no good reason against it ; but a thick drab 

 cloth looks rather more 'coaching,' and if neces- 

 sary, it can be lined with fur. 



For ordinary weather there is no better material 

 for aprons than plain, drab, Bedford cord, either 

 hemmed on the edcre, or bound with cloth of the 

 same colour. The corners should be rounded, with 

 a radius of 4 or 5 inches. The apron for the box- 

 seat should be 4 ft. 6 in. wide and 6 ft. 6 in. long, 



