348 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



a loaf of liouseliokl bread. On these the guests 

 made a beginning', l)ut the waiter entered "in an 

 instant " (paragon of waiters !) with kidneys, steak, 

 rashers of bacon, poached eggs, and buttered toast 

 and muffins. Tom fell-to with a will, and put 

 away kidneys and pigeon-pie and coffee until his 

 little skin was as tight as a drum — little pig ! 



It is a coach-breakfast that is so well pictured 

 by James Pollard in the accompanying illustra- 

 tion. The company, with an indescribable air of 

 having been up all night, are just finishing their 

 meal, and the polite gentleman in the ample over- 

 coat is trying to induce the two ladies under his 

 charge to take a little more. It is quite evident 

 that this has been a more leisured affair than 

 usual, for the yawning travellers by the fireplace 

 have finished their meal long ago, and a stout 

 person is being shaved by a barber in knee- 

 breeches, with legs of a distinctly Lowther- 

 Arcadian type, suggestive of bran and sawdust 

 instead of bone and muscle. The coachman, 

 ajipearing hat in hand and touching liis forehead, 

 has come to the end of his stage : he " goes no 

 further, gents," and is here to claim his dues. 

 Meanwhile, the guard outside is lustilv l)loA\ino^ 

 his horn, and the empty coach is seen Avaiting. 



The scene, in fact, here j^ictured is the last halt 

 on a long journey; an opportunity seized by the 

 passengers, not only for a meal, but for a shave 

 and a general brush-up prej^aratory to alighting at 

 their destination. Such scenes were the common- 

 place incidents to be observed at Highgate, 



