2 76 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



usually sat down to the half of a fat huck from 

 the Buccleuch estate adjoining that village. 



The festival of September 1834^ Avas a 

 memorable one. According to a contemporary, 

 the anticipation of the tuck-out had kept them 

 on the qui vlve for a week, and it was not a 

 little amusing to see them nearing the point of 

 attraction on the evening and night before ; in 

 some cases two, and even three, being perched 

 on one coach and making the welkin ring with 

 notes of their bugles, in solos, duets, or trios, 

 to the no small interruption of the peaceful 

 slumbers of wayside hamlets, whose inhabitants, 

 from the constant din of " See the Conquering 

 Hero Comes," fancied the Duke of Wellington, 

 at least, was on the road. 



The guards of the Manchester " Red Hover " 

 were particularly on their stilts, and, having 

 met for the first time on the same vehicle in 

 musical fellowshiji, continued practising every 

 tune they did know and did not knoAV, from the 

 time they quitted Highgate until they entered 

 Dunchurch, at about 3 a.m., when they took 

 leave of the coach Avith the splendid finale of 

 " We won't go Home till Morning," leaving the 

 harassed passengers Avith the chance of an odd 

 wink for the remainder of the journey. "We 

 ought," says the historian of these things, " as 

 faithful reporters, to state that Bob Hadley 

 and his chum on the ' Eover ' occasionally 

 rested their pipes Avitli a cigar or a song ; and 

 in the latter attempt Hadley Avas certainly second 



