THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



or, perhaps, that of a grocer's shop, on to a stage-coach, as 

 some of our present would-be coachmen have done, and 

 who hardly knows a coupling-rein from a bearing-rein, 

 still less what a horse can do in his harness ; but I began 

 my education by riding the leaders before my father, on 

 the heavy Brummagem, for better than three years. 

 That's the place for a young man to learn his business 

 Taefore a good coachman, as my father was, and a coach 

 that carries three ton weight, as that often did, in roads 

 over the fellies of the wheels, and none of the best of 

 cattle. Then, I have never had but one master and one 

 coach since I have been regular at work, now going on for 

 thirty-four years." 



" Are you married ? " asked Lord Edmonston. 



" No, my Lord," replied Jem ; " I was near being had 

 once, but I slipped out on't, and took care never to run 

 my head into that there collar again ; I feared it might 

 prove what we calls ' a false one.' " 



"But what has been your objection to the married 

 state 1 " resumed Lord Edmonston. 



" Why, to tell you the truth, my Lord," answered Jem, 

 " I have more than one objection to it. In the first place, 

 a gentleman who sat by me on the box, many years ago, 

 made use of these words to a passenger who sat behind 

 him on the roof, and they made such an impression on me 

 that, if I was to live a thousand years, I should never 

 forget them : ' The ancients,' he said, 'are clearly against 

 the female sex, and the moderns are not very favourably 

 disposed towards them, from all I have read of them.' 

 Now, thinks I to myself, surely both ancients and 

 moderns can't be wrong on this here matter ; but as 

 neither seems to have a favourable opinion of woman- 

 Tiind, I thought I had best leave them alone. And it was 

 & very clever man who spoke this in my hearing." 



" Some rum old fellow of a college, I'll be bound for it," 

 said Jack Webber, "who would not have given up his 

 common room comforts, and his old port wine, for the 

 finest woman in England." 



" No, he warrrt," resumed Jem ; " but I ain't told you 

 ' my other reason. I daresay there is much pleasure in the 

 married life, but I am quite certain there is also much 

 pain. What scenes have I witnessed amongst husbands 

 and wives, and parents and children, since I have drove 

 this coach I mean when taking leave of each other ! I 



