THE GROOM 119 



conditioned fellow so much as calling gentlemen by their 

 proper names, as Thompson, Simpson, and so on. We know 

 servants do it among themselves ; indeed, it is in consequence 

 of their doing it among themselves that causes some of them 

 to slip it out before their masters ; but candidates for place 

 may rely upon it it is very bad policy letting an expectant 

 master hear it. No judge would ask any questions after such 

 a displa}' of familiarit}'. Touching the hat is a thing there is 

 less of, the lower we get in the scale of servitude, till we reach 

 John Hawbuck fresh from the plough, who gives a familiar 

 grin, and says "it's a foine day." We remember the observa- 

 tion of a nobleman's Stud-Groom one day, on seeing a 

 newly-caught yokel of theirs answer a gentleman without the 

 touch of the hat, which was, that " there would have to be a 

 deal more politeness before lie did for them.'" 



Touching the hat is an art, and can be made to convey 

 almost as much meaning as words. My lord's servant will take 

 his off, even to a commoner, if the commoner is a friend of his 

 lordship. Mr. Plantagenet's will do the same, or raise his hand 

 slowly and respectfully till he gets fairly hold of the brim. 

 Captain Bolisher's, of the heavies, will give a sort of back 

 hand salute. Mr. Rattlebar's, whose master drives the coach, 

 gives a comical sort of twirl of his arm, as though he wanted 

 to look under his elbow; while Tom Tinker, Mr. Loose- 

 fish's young man, gives a quick snatch, when he is just 

 upon you, as though he hardly thought you worth a salute 

 at all. We have observed that servants whose places are 

 tottering become singularly assiduous in the matter of the 

 " felt," and we have even known Grooms out of place 

 subsisting entirely upon the precarious income derived from 

 touching theirs. 



Grooms are about the only servants upon whom masters can 

 form anything like an accurate opinion, and it would be well for 

 them to remember that fact. The communication between 



