3o8 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



charity, Avcre often absurdl}" liauglity, insolent, 

 and insuil'erablc. Like horses, good liviijg', conpled 

 Avith little exercise, rendered them unmanageable, 

 and they not infrequently quarrelled Avith the 

 hand that fed them. " AVliat do you knoAv about 

 throat-lashings and head-terrets ? " contemptuously 

 asked Harry Simpson, ex-coachman of the DcA^on- 

 port " Quicksiher," of Sir Watkin Williams 

 Wynn, aaIio, before him, had been holding forth 

 to some of his guests upon the respectiA^e merits 

 of those harnessing methods in the old coaching 

 days. " Nothing practically," ansAA^ered the good- 

 humoured baronet ; " my ideas are only ideas. 

 But you knoAV all about the subject : let us liaA'e 

 the benefit of a professional vicAV." 



At this time Harry Simpson — " Little Harry," 

 as he Avas called, undersized and " looking like 

 a tomtit on a round of beef A\dien on the driving- 

 box " — Avas stud-groom to that Welsh landoAvner, 

 Avho, from comj)assion, had taken him into his 

 employ Avhen coaching failed. " Little Harry," 

 domineering and Avilfal as he Avas, remained in 

 his service for thirty years, and died in 188G. 



Some of the undoubted A'eterans of the old 

 order liA^ed to patriarchal ages, and Avhen they 

 died their obituary notices confounded many a 

 Avriter who had liglitly declared, years before, 

 that tin; last of tin; coacliuKMi Avas dead. 



Matthew Marsli, avIio for many years droA^e 

 the Maidstone " Times," had l)een a private 

 soldier in the 1 Itli Foot, and fiuight and Avas 

 Avoundcd at Wateidoo. He Avas generally averse 



