The Sport of Our (^Ancestors 



first-rate artists on this coach.' ' Artist ! artist ! ' grumbles 

 the old gentleman ; ' we had no such term as that.' 



* I should like to see this artist change horses at the 

 next stage/ resumes our ancient ; ' for at the last it had the 

 appearance of magic — " Presto, Jack, and begone ! '" 'By 

 all means ; you will be much gratified. It is done with a 

 quickness and ease almost incredible to any one who has 

 only read or heard of it ; not a buckle nor a rein is touched 

 twice, and still all is made secure ; but use becomes second 

 nature with us. Even in my younger days it was always half 

 an hour's work — sometimes more. There was — " Now, 

 ladies and gentlemen, what would you like to take ? There 's 

 plenty of time, while the horses are changing, for tea, coffee, 

 or supper ; and the coachman will wait for you — won't you, 

 Mr. Smith ? " Then Mr. Smith himself was in no hurry ; 

 he had a lamb about his coach for one butcher in the town, 

 and perhaps half a calf for another ; a barrel of oysters 

 for the lawyer, and a basket of game for the parson, all 

 on his own account. In short, the best wheel of the 

 coach was his, and he could not be otherwise than 

 accommodating.' 



The coach arrived at Staines, and the ancient gentleman 

 puts his intentions into effect — though he was near being 

 again too late ; for by the time he could extract his hat from 

 the netting that suspended it over his head, the leaders had 

 been taken from their bars, and were walking up the yard 

 towards their stables. On perceiving a fine thorough-bred 

 horse led towards the coach with a twitch fastened tightly 

 190 



