just now; he was have one die last week; and the brown mar, what you was drive off-wheel was have a foal, and the big chesnut that did kick so bad, you was say you would not drive again.'

The aforesaid premier of the stables, it is almost unnecessary to remark, was a Welshman, and combined the duties of coachman with those of head groom. He entertained a very great objection, and by no means an unreasonable one, to having Evans's ill-conditioned posters worked with the carriage-horses, which were invariably sadly pulled to pieces whenever the expedient was adopted.

"My horse is quite at your service to make one," said Welton. "The difficulty is overcome at once: my buggy horse and the carriagehorses will make up the team," added the Major.

They were ordered to be in readiness at ten o'clock on the morrow. However well the arrangements of an establishment may be conducted, harness and carriages not commonly in requisition are never in proper order, the former especially. By the use of that abominable compound called compo, usually applied to the leather, which causes it to look bright and clean, it acts like cement in holding divers parts together, and there is not a billet that can be drawn from its loops without an uncommon degree of trouble: blacking is free from the aforesaid objection; but as it requires more labour to produce the desired polish, it is very commonly repudiated.

At the appointed hour the horses were put to, and a start effected without any incident worthy of notice; but with horses which have never been previously driven together, or in the same harness, the most accomplished coachman cannot expect but that some few alterations will be necessary, which, moreover, cannot be determined till they have worked over some little distance of ground. These difficulties, however, were soon overcome, despite the gummy nature of the compo, and the scratch team soon went free and pleasantly; for although want of practice precluded the Major from the distinction of being a first-rate workman, he was sensitively alive to the importance of putting horses well together, and in that respect he had few superiors.

A four-in-hand drag does not look in keeping without a load. In this respect perhaps there is some association with the coaches of olden times. What was a more melancholy sight than that of a well-appointed turn-out, the coachman without a box-passenger, and his only companion a forlorn woman on the roof, vainly endeavouring to secure herself from the inclemency of the elements, by the porous fabric of an old worn-out shawl, which, as she hugged it round her shivering breast, seemed to mock her attempts with frigid indifference? Proprietors, coachmen, guards, innkeepers, and even the gaping public, sympathised at the sight of the cheerless spectacle. The Major's load at starting was but a light one, consisting only of Welton, by his side on the box, Ap Shenkin working away most industriously, with all the composure of a Mogul at a huge meerschaum, on the roof with Williams, doing duty as guard. This was, however, soon augmented, as every pedestrian overtaken on the road, whether as a short'un or through passenger, was kindly accommodated with a lift. The first to be taken up was a tenant of the Major's, known by the name of John James, or as would be in Cambrian parlance pronounced "Shonny Shambs," a truly worthy character, upon whom the hand of misfortune had fallen heavily Loss

of stock, with inferior crops, arising perhaps chiefly from indifferent management-not from idlenesss, but in the absence of better judgment -had greatly reduced his finances; a sickly wife, with a large increasing family, all tended to augment his difficulties. With unassuming demeanour he was about to get up behind with Williams, but by invitation was placed by the side of the Captain. To inquiries from his landlord concerning the health of his family, he gave but an indifferent account, especially of his wife, who, he said, was gone to New Quay for the benefit of sea air.

"I never hear New Quay spoken of but it reminds me of an event which took place some years ago, when a detachment of our regiment embarked from Cardigan for Ireland," said the Captain. "We were knocking about in a miserable coasting vessel, which, unappropriate as she was, had been engaged for the purpose, two or three days; adverse winds retarding our progress till provisions became short, when at break of day our hearts were gladdened with the intelligence that land was in sight, and that we should soon be on shore. On approaching nearer to the hoped-for haven, our serjeant, who had a slight acquaintance with the coast, observed, with transports of natural delight, the similarity of the Irish and the Welsh coast, and how much Dublin Bay resembled New Quay. On getting nearer we found ourselves at that identical place, and only about twenty miles from where we started."

Before reaching Brecon the Major had got a load," full in and out," consisting principally of farmers' wives and daughters, who in their accustomed head-gear, high-crowned, conical, wide, flat-brimmed beaver hats, with their blue woollen dresses, to an English eye unaccustomed to such attire, when seated together on the top of a coach, presented a most extraordinary appearance. On reaching their destination, the kind-hearted Major announced to them that he should return precisely at five, and those who were desirous for a ride homewards must be there punctually at that time.

Ap Shenkin's absence during a considerable portion of the morning caused some surprise: neither was the curiosity of the Major and Welton by any means satisfied when their jocular interrogatories met with evasive responses. We are prone sometimes to judge incorrectly under such circumstances; and when a companion has been missing for a space, we infer that he has been occupied with some engagement, the particulars of which he is reluctant to disclose. In this instance the noble-hearted Captain had been dispensing an act of kindness which his unostentatious predilection never to boast of, or make displays of his generosity, prompted him to keep a secret within his own breast, at all events for the time being. To render services to his fellow-men was one of his greatest pleasures. When the time approached for returning, the Captain was assiduously employed collecting the passengers together: and knowing their propensities, want of punctuality, and the wonderful attraction of a glass of grog to drink the Major's health, he had them all assembled in a room at the hotel, treating them with whatever they liked to take. More than a moiety consisted of the wives and daughters of the neighbouring farmers; they had partaken of just enough ginand-water, their favourite beverage, to give perfect freedom to their tongues. The ceremony of arranging them on the coach, under the superintendence of the Captain, previously to the horses being put to,

was an occasion of much merriment, at which crisis Welton entered the yard. What a jargon assailed his ears! He paused with astonishment, fancying they were quarrelling, till Ap Shenkin's good-natured smile, and the general expression of mirth visible on their countenances, on closer inspection assured him of his mistake. Welton was to work home; and good as his nerves were on most occasions, he felt some misgivings as to the manner in which the horses would accept such "conconcord of sweet sounds" during the ordeal of being put to. A four-inhand drag, with the exception of the stage coaches, not being an everyday sight in a Welsh market town, as large a concourse of people had assembled to witness the start as ever graced the Castle Square of Brighton in the palmy days of coaching, when poor Stevenson was the Magnus Apollo of the road. To silence the tongues of the passengers would have been an impossibility; and the Major fully concurred with Welton in the probability that the horses might be somewhat alarmed, therefore they determined that the quicker they were put to and started, the less likelihood there would be of their becoming fractious. But there was this difficulty-the ostlers and horsekeepers were not accustomed to the celerity practised with the fast coaches, and their assistance was imperatively necessary. In order to overcome this, each man was instructed by the Major what part to perform; and with a degree of attention and alacrity not commonly adhered to by such worthies, each horse was brought out, led into his place, poled up, and coupled almost before they were conscious of the noise; when Welton, jumping up, and scarcely taking time to seat himself, calling out to let 'em go," so astonished the natives by the rapidity of the movement, as to produce a dead silence. It is under such circumstances as these that a cool head, with nerve, has such a great superiority over a hasty, rash, inconsiderate mortal, who runs himself and his friends into danger when ever he has to deal with high-couraged animals of the equine race.

They cleared the town, and were journeying homeward joyously, stopping ever and anon to put down those who had reached their respective destinations. All seemed to go "happy as the marriage bell." The slight jingling of the bars, always a pleasant titillation in the ears of a coachman, proclaimed that they were travelling along a bit of descending ground, though so slight as to be scarcely discernible by the eye, at the steady pace of nine or ten miles in the hour. The Captain, quite in his element, was amusing his companions with lively anecdotes, while two or three responded simultaneously to his jokes; but all being spoken in the native language was lost to Welton. Alas! how uncertain are the pleasures and enjoyments of the human race! how often are we on the brink of disappointment, and our most gladsome moments precursors of

A DISASTER!

The road was tortuous, and rounding a somewhat abrupt turn, the leaders came in contact with the horses of a lime cart, the driver of which, according to the frequent custom, was sleeping on his load. The approach was too sudden to avoid a collision. As a matter of course the lime-cart was on the wrong side of the road, or more correctly speaking the horses all across it-an event almost inevitable, in consequence of

the manner adopted of attaching the horses to the carts; one between the shafts, and the two fore-horses, one to the end of each shaft, abreast. Welton pulled up as instantaneously as possible, for there was not room to pass; but in doing this, one of the horses got between his leaders, breaking the coupling reins; and his own horse, which was working on the off side, turning short round, broke the bar, which fortunately released him from the coach, while his companion was thrown down on the bank. It was more than miraculous that the coach did not go over, and had the pace been great, that must inevitably have been the case. The scramble that ensued, however, fortunately free from any serious accident to life or limb, was perfectly ludicrous. Persons not in the habit of getting up and down from a coach, are at all times extremely awkward in their movements; and when apprehensions of danger exist, those movements are variously influenced. Fear affects the actions of men and women in various ways: some it perfectly paralyzes-frequently the most fortunate result, as it causes them to remain quiet; others with frantic efforts attempt to escape, and by so doing expose themselves to greater danger. One of the females, taking a flying leap, jumped from the roof of the coach into a thick hedge, where, however, she received no injury or inconvenience except that produced by her peculiar position, from which she was unable to extricate herself without assistance, her garments suspending her in the branches, thereby rendering the use of her arms impracticable. Another, in attempting a similar exhibition of agility, fell short, alighting just in front of the hind wheel, but luckily the coach was not in motion; thus the principal damage was confined to the beaver, the shape of which was grotesquely altered. Rapid descents without regard to graceful movements divested the coach of its passengers far more expeditiously than the ceremony of their taking their seats had been accomplished, and this too with profound silence. In defiance of all persuasion or remonstrance they were determined to alight, and in truth most of them came to the ground head over heels. The Captain alone sat on the roof, smoking his meerschaum with as much coolness as if he had been seated in his own chair, till he found that he could render some service to his affrighted companions and the horses. On examination, the damages were less serious than might have been expected. Welton's horse had sustained considerable injury in his shoulder; it was, therefore, necessary to find quarters for him at the nearest stable, and to rig out a unicorn team; which being accomplished, the party proceeded homewards. That ill news flies apace is a truism generally correct, found confirmation in this case. The intelligence had reached Llanbryn that an accident had happened to the Major's carriage, which was magnified till it assumed an alarming character. That several persons were lying in the road, supposed to be dead, dying, or considerably injured; that one of the horses had broken from the harness, and another was lying on his back, "kilt" of course, was the communication hastily conveyed by a farmer who happened to be passing on his hack at the moment when the catastrophe presented some appearances warranting this description. With the best intentions, though with more zeal than judgment, he urged his steed at his utmost pace, and arriving in "hot haste," met the butler at the lodge gate. The worthy functionary promptly procured a horse to proceed to the spot, but with good discretion refrained from communicating what he had heard to the ladies.

The circumstance of this disaster was circulated with wonderful rapidity throughout the country, and numerous were the calls of the Major's friends to ascertain the facts and congratulate the party on their escape. This supplied the hypocritical Stratford with a plausible pretext for including himself among the inquiring visitors. A weak intention, however, to annoy Welton was the ostensible motive. An offer to ride one of the young ladies' horses at the ensuing races gave evidence of the attempt.

"As Mr. Welton will not be qualified to ride at our races, Miss Caroline, it will afford me infinite pleasure to officiate on the occasion," was the introduction by which Stratford exposed his paltry feelings.

With a look of contemptuous surprise, and unacquainted with the subject, Caroline very properly referred him to her papa.

"The conditions of the stakes have been amended," added Stratford, "and it is decided that gentlemen who ride must be residents in the Principality."

"Who has intimated that any gentleman will be selected to ride either of my daughter's horses, who is not duly qualified? I am not aware that any gentleman has yet been mentioned, and it is really premature to anticipate," returned the Major, with considerable dignity.

Ap Shenkin was consulted on the subject, who, without explaining the course to be adopted, significantly remarked, "We will inquire into this ;" and thus the matter rested until after Stratford had taken his departure. "This is another of Stratford's contemptible underhand tricks," resumed Ap Shenkin: "I can see clearly through it; in order to exclude Welton, whom it may be presumed, from the circumstance of his being your guest, that he will ride one of your daughter's horses, the conditions of the stake have been altered; but I will soon rectify that by writing to the Steward to the effect that no alteration can be made in the conditions of any race after the signature of any person has been made, without the consent of all parties. No such condition existed in the articles which I drew up, and to which the names of the Miss Llewellyns were subscribed.

The sport which I described in my last chapter, as regards harebattues, most exciting and amusing in itself, was made far more attractive by the various little incidents which could not fail to arise among so large a party. For instance, we had one young gentleman, although high in rank, and possessed of more than his share of this world's wealth, who nevertheless was utterly ignorant of this world's ways, and still less so as regards all questions of sport. His costume