i62 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



not unlike those AveatlierLound travellers avIio in 

 Dickens' Christmas stories gather round the 

 hearth, and, comforting themselves with many 

 jorums of launch, tell dramatic stories. One party 

 crowded the " Dun Cow," another the " Green 

 Man." Among the coaches were the Manchester 

 "Beehive" and the "Red Eover." The first 

 morning of their enforced leisure they — coachmen, 

 guards and passengers— made up a poaching 

 party, Avith two guns among sixteen of them. 

 Jack Goodwin, guard of the " Eeehive," Avas the 

 only fortunate sportsman, and shot a hare. In 

 the evening a dancing party was held at the 

 "Dun Cow " at the suggestion of the landlord, 

 who invited some friends, and the next morning 

 Goodwin turned wandering minstrel, taking with 

 him a chosen few to liel]^ in chorus. AYandering 

 along the llugljy Road, they were entertained at 

 the farmhouses Avitli elderherry Avine aiid pork 

 pies. Another pleasant evening, and they Avere 

 off the next morning for London. 



Ploods Avere infinitely more dangerous than 

 snowstorms, and the Great North Road, between 

 NcAvark-on-Trent and Scarthing Moor, Avas par- 

 ticularly subject to them, the Trent often, and 

 on the very slightest provocation of rain. Hooding 

 many miles of surrounding country. It Avas here, 

 and on these occasions, that the outsides liad the 

 better bargain of the tw^o classes of travelling, for 

 they kept their seats without fear of being droAvned, 

 while the insides Avent in constant terror of a 

 Avatery death, and often only escaped it by the 



