CORRESPONDENCE. 195 



to prevent the padding over the instep from 

 causing the foot to become embedded ; and if, 

 likewise, some careful and competent person 

 were ready and willing to give the machinery 

 of it a thorough examination immediately 

 before entrusting the safety of a lady to such 

 an imcertain support. But how seldom is this 

 the case ? Servants — even the most careful — 

 are, to say the least of it, apt to overlook 

 these important details ; and when the steed 

 is led to the door the cavaHer who is to escort 

 the lady is too much occupied in admiring his 

 fair charge, talking to her, arranging with her 

 where they shall ride, fastening her gloves, or 

 performing a like office for himself, to worry 

 his head about such an apparently insignificant 

 thing as her stirrup. Provided he ascertains that 

 it is the required length, he troubles himself no 

 further about it, and probably in nine cases out 

 of ten the dandy youth would not even com- 

 prehend the meaning of the term ** safety'* as 

 appHed to the article in question. No doubt 

 it often happens that an elderly father, a 

 matter-of-fact husband, a phlegmatic uncle, or 

 a careful brother may be upon the spot, wifch 



13 * 



