424 



DRIVING CAPE 



CH. XVIII 



top of the apron and over the back of the driving 

 cushion, so as to shed the rain off outside, is con- 

 venient for showery weather. Any shape of water- 

 proof thing which leads the rain down inside of the 

 apron and into the lap is maddening. 



A cape with sleeves (Fig. 1 70) I have found 

 useful. It can be thrown over the shoulders like 

 a cape, while driving, and the arms, one at a time, 



thrust into the sleeves afterward ; 

 the sleeve is short and very large 

 at its upper end, so that the hand 

 readily slips into it, but it fits 

 tight around the wrist. To put 

 on, while driving, an ordinary 

 coat with long sleeves, is a dan- 

 gerous experiment ; for some 

 moments the coachman is per- 

 fectly helpless. 



For public coaching a some- 

 what more ' down-the-road' style 

 of dress may be adopted. It is proper for the 

 coachman to wear a white hat, which may be rather 

 low in the crown and wide in the brim, but not 

 extravagantly so. 



Russet-leather shoes with white linen spats are 

 not out of place in summer ; blackened leather 

 shoes, which soil the apron, are objectionable. 



A white hunting- scarf and collar, with some kind 

 of a coaching pin, is the best neckgear. 



A dark-grey coat is good ; as is also, for cold 



Fig. 170. 



