STAGE-COACH GUARDS 277 



best, for no raven in a chimney-pot could have 

 more barbarously murdered the airs of Rossini — 

 so much to the horror of a lady outside, who 

 was herself a bit of a musician, that she fancied 

 she had by accident got upon the railway, and 

 taken her seat in a cattle train, in one of the 

 private boxes set apart for the accommodation 

 of four-footed squeakers." 



The dinner on this occasion was of the most 

 substantial description, and, for want of a bettor. 

 Bob Hadley was jmt in the chair, a distinction 

 his modesty would have induced him to decline; 

 but the voices of the company were unanimous, 

 and on mounting his perch he returned thanks 

 on his l)ugle in the favourite hunting air of 

 " Old Towler " ; which, as "on that day," or 

 a few days before, a stag was supposed to have 

 died, AA^as considered extremely appropriate, and 

 was applauded accordingly. Whether a stag 

 had died or not seemed subsequently to have 

 become a matter of doubt, for the chairman, 

 after carving the " noble haunch," and coming 

 to the foot, which was enclosed with a profusion 

 of curled Avriting-paj^er, was not a little surprised 

 to find the hoof, instead of being cloven, to be 

 entire. A noted farrier present swore it was the 

 hoof of a young donkey ! This the landlord 

 positively denied, but uj^on a jury being sum- 

 moned to decide the question, the hoof was 

 found to have mysteriously disappeared, and the 

 point remained for ever unsettled ; although 

 it was freely hinted that the guard of the 



