1 66 DRIVING. 



imitative, it became evident that there would soon he more 

 tandems about, and the notion of a Tandem Club germed in 

 the fruitful brain of the Mentor. The first fruit of that germ 

 was that the Mentor started a tandem of his own. Nobody 

 knows, probably no one ever knew, what animal he drove at 

 the wheel, but everyone from the oldest to the youngest 

 inhabitant knew the leader ' Kitty.' l That horse was probably 

 coeval with the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and must have 

 taught many generations of subalterns their drill on Woolwich 

 Common, besides having run numberless garrison flat races, 

 hurdle races, and steeplechases, and jumped every fence 

 marked on the ordnance map, and many others within twenty 

 miles of his own manger. At the time we are speaking, 

 however, no living soul could ride, drive, or manage the 

 Kitten but his own master ; and nothing could be more 

 instructive to the anxious student than to watch the various 

 methods by which the master invariably overcame the eccen- 

 tricities of the wayward steed. If he refused to start, a quite 

 inimitable holloa would set him going ; if he ran away, a little 

 playful badinage as to his age and unfitness for such exertion 

 would stop him ; and if he came round to see if his nose-bag 

 was under the driving seat, a few kindly kicks on the nose sent 

 the docile animal nearly into its place again. Of course, at the 

 time, these magistral touches in the art of driving seemed to be 

 easy of imitation, though after the lapse of many years one is 

 forced to see that only the genuine artist can hope to attain to 

 such proficiency. 



Howbeit, tandems of one sort or another appeared, and 

 a conclave of their owners was called. The subject to be 

 discussed was the formation of a club. M. voted himself Chair- 

 man : carried nem. con. M. constituted himself President : great 

 applause. M. nominated T. Secretary : murmurs, but carried 

 in deference to the Chairman. All present elected themselves 



1 The Kitten, brown gelding, by Willoughby out of an Irish mare, was 

 bred at Ruperra Castle, Glamorganshire, and was used for many years as 

 second charger by an officer of the Royal Horse Artillery. 



