A GOODWOOD CUP DAY. 247 



usual, for thougli the actual racing is by no 

 means better to-day than on the other three 

 days of the meeting, the Cup Day has. a jprestige 

 of its own. 



In many pleasant country houses girls have 

 awakened early (not perhaps without remem- 

 brance of the dress which has occupied so much 

 thought, and is to form one of tlie toilettes on 

 the lawn), and gazed eagerly at the sky to see 

 whether dim clouds from the south-west threaten 

 rain. All is well, we will hope. A fine blue sky 

 and the promise of fine weather brighten bright 

 eyes ; and in due time John Coachman, who, at 

 all times a stickler for tidiness, has turned out 

 his horses and harness with exceptional care^ 

 drives his load with much dignity and very 

 square arms through the unaccustomed crowd ; 

 for here are omnibuses, cabs, barouches, shandy- 

 dans, waggons, tax-carts, phaetons, and, in fact^ 

 everything that goes on wheels, drawn by horses 

 as various as the vehicles. 



The Sussex peasant trudges along, if it happen 

 that the hay is in, and the wheat on his master's 

 farm not yet ready to be cut ; for the early 

 southern harvest is often reaped during Goodwood 

 week, and here in many fields, as we drive 

 past, the sheaves stand in array, the golden 

 corn bows its plentiful head, and the labourer, 



