300 THE COACHING AGE. 



happened with the Bath mail during the time Stacey 

 drove it. 



The mails going westward all started from the City^ 

 where the principal part, of their passengers were 

 booked ; but some places, say one inside and one out^ 

 side, were reserved for those residing at the West 

 End, and who could book their places at one of the 

 "West-End offices in the Eegent Circus, Gloucester 

 Coffee House, or other office in connection with that 

 in the City, so that if all the City places were booked 

 and an application was made for another seat, the 

 book-keeper would start a quick man, such as 

 was always to be found about a coach-office, to go 

 up to the West-End office, and if there was a vacant 

 seat secure it. This man, then, was the ' runner,' and 

 he would return to the City and inform the book-- 

 keeper of the result of his journey. 



Such a thing as a mail going out of Piccadilly with 

 more than four inside I suppose was never heard of, 

 except in the instance I am about to relate, as Mr. 

 Johnson, for many years one of the mail inspectors, 

 said he never had any occasion to proceed against 

 persons who had carried more passengers than the 

 contract allowed, although he had proceeded against 

 a good number of persons at different times when 

 they had been refractory, and wilfully lost time. 



One night the Bath mail was booked full inside all 



