THE RULE OF THE ROAD. 457 



by some youths just released from the counter of a 

 shop. 



But to speak of the real thing, and not of such base 

 impositions, there are certain times, when driving four 

 horses, or even a tandem, when the horn may be used 

 without exciting any adverse criticism. It is well 

 known to all coachmen that, when horses in a team 

 have settled down, and are all trotting together well 

 up to their bits, nothing is more vexing than to be 

 compelled to pull them up, and so have to begin 

 all one's work over again, because some vehicle of 

 heavy draught, such as a country waggon, a brewer's 

 dray, a heavily-loaded van, or a lot of empty cabs, 

 impede the way, and, getting over the wrong side 

 of the road, refuse to pull aside. On such occasions 

 as this a coach-horn may be used to one's heart's 

 content, otherwise one may have to wait a very long 

 time before the road is clear ; consequently, if on a 

 journey with such hindrances, there is no saying what 

 length of time may be occupied in performing it. 

 Frequently, on country roads, one's way is impeded 

 by covered waggons, the drivers of whom are very 

 often fast asleep, when it seems that nothing short 

 of a dynamite explosion will wake them up to a sense 

 of their responsibilities. 



Much of my time when driving is spent in remon- 

 strating with such people, to whom the rule of the road 

 is evidently " a paradox quite," or it may be that, having 

 no varnish on their own vehicles to destroy, they 

 are indifferent to the fact of your anxiety on that 

 score ; besides which, to charge them like the chariots 

 did one another on the battle-fields of old, would be 

 like knocking one's head against a wall, as it would 

 be you that suffered and not they. 



