CHAP. IV.] Mr. G. Payne: 139 



burly, fiery-faced partner of J. Meeclier — on the 

 ^' Nottingham Times.^^ Making his last journey on the 

 day before the coach was to be taken off the road for 

 good, a wheel came off, the vehicle was upset_, and Jem^s 

 portly form and ruby-coloured visage were never seen 

 again on that or any other stage. In numerous cases, 

 well-conducted coachmen found comfortable berths on 

 the new railways ; but a hard fate awaited many a 

 worthy man who, shutting his eyes to the inevitable, had 

 failed to lay by for the rainy day. 



A curious coaching-incident befell the Master of the 

 P.H. during' his residence at Pitsford Hall. Staying 

 for a few days at Leamington he drove some friends 

 to see a fight for the Championship of England, on a 

 four-horse coach. On the return home, one of the 

 leaders having knocked up, he was taken out of the 

 coach, made to swallow a bottle of sherry, and left on 

 the side of the road until further assistance could be 

 sent. On nearing the town the noise of a horse trotting 

 behind the coach was heard, and to the surprise and 

 amusement of the party on the roof, the animal, revived 

 by the wine, came up and took his place by the side of 

 the single leader as if nothing had happened. 



As a cricketer, the Sulby squire^s pretensions were of 

 the humblest order ; but he was an ardent admirer of 

 the game, and a liberal subscriber to a formidable- 

 looking "red book," armed with which the Hon. Sec. 

 of the "M.C.C." used to traverse ''Lord's Ground," 

 seeking whom he might induce to inscribe his name 

 upon its pages. In the days of old, the expenses of the 

 great matches played at Lord's were defrayed in part 

 by the voluntary contributions of the wealthier members 



