2 78 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



" Emerald," jealous at being shut out from the 

 feast, had conveyed the haunch away and sub- 

 stituted for it the hind-quarter of a deceased 

 " Neddy " he had imported from Wolverhampton. 



One of the most daring deeds ever related 

 of a guard was that well-nigh incredible one 

 told of the guard of the famous " Tantivy " : — 



"We had just entered Oxford from Wood- 

 stock," says Lord William Lennox, " when 

 suddenly the horses started off at an awful j^ace. 

 What made matters worse was that Ave saw at 

 a distance some men employed in removing a 

 large tree that had fallen during the storm of 

 the previous night across the road near St. 

 John's College. The coachman shook his head, 

 looking very nervous, while the guard, a most 

 powerful man, stood up, prepared for any emer- 

 gency. On we went, the coachman trying in 

 vain to check the galloping steeds, and we had 

 got within a few yards of the critical spot when 

 the guard, craAvling over the roof, managed, 

 somehow or another, to get on the footboard, 

 when, with a spring, he threw himself on the 

 near wheeler, and with a giant's clasp checked 

 the horses at the very moment the leaders 

 were about to charge the tree. Down they 

 came, but the guard never yielded an inch, and, 

 with the assistance of the country people near 

 at hand, the leaders regained their legs, without 

 the slightest damage to man, horse, coach, or 

 harness. A subscription for our gallant j)reserver 

 was got up on the spot." 



