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improbable. There was also living until quite recently a centenarian at Bridgewater, who recollected hearing his father describe the last race by horses for the Derby Stakes. The curious thing is that according to this ancient! man's testimony the horses at the Derby were ridden by little boys in bright colours who were tied to their necks.

Old prints and photographs show the horse as a beast not only of draught but of burden. Both men and women in the barbarous times clung to its mane on | occasion, but the usual thing was to sit in a cart or carriage and be pulled. There is, however, a record of some of the more hardy of both sexes riding, as it was called, for pleasure; but it is not easy for us, who are accustomed to the comfortable padded seats of the motorcar, to see where the pleasure was to be found. When used for draught purposes the horse was guided by leathern straps. which the driver, or chauffeur as we should say, held in his hands and pulled to the right or left as the case might be. For heavy loads as many as four horses! might be driven at once.

As one may suppose, very little safety was insured with such a rudimentary mode of locomotion, and the records of accidents are numerous. In those days, a certain remnant of the old retrogressive courtesy still existing, it was customary for a driver who had knocked down a foot-passenger to stop and render assistance. With the advent of the motor-car and the reorganisation of the rights of pedestrians came the saving of all time that hitherto had been spent in such idle forms of politeness, and little accidents to walkers soon settled down as a recognised part of the day's routine, of no more account than changes in the weather.

History records that at first some resentment was shown by pedestrians

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Physician Friend. "H'M, CANDLE BOTH ENDS AGAIN, I SUPPOSE! AH WELL, WE'LL SOON GET at the loss of the old thoroughfares

OVER THAT. A MAN IS EITHER A FOOL OR A PHYSICIAN AT FORTY, YOU KNOW."
Impatient Patient (not at all friendly). "CAN'T HE BE BOTH?"

THE HORSE.

seum, it is well to consider the claims which this almost obsolete animal once had on the human species.

[From the article on this animal in the 30th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, 2105.] A few living horses were still to Ir is amusing to think- and not un- be seen in England until within the instructive too as a lesson in the steady last year or so. There was one in the patience and endurance of man- that Zoo and three or four on the estate of for years, even centuries, before the an eccentric nobleman in the north; but motor-car was invented the horse was when he died they were allowed to die the principal agent of transit on English too. A very old man living in Wiltshire, roads, not only for people but for goods. who was a blacksmith in his prime, There are still standing numerous old can remember as a youth the visit of a houses in England, every stick and travelling circus to his village and his stone of which were brought thither by being called in to assist in making shoes horse haulage. Perhaps we are apt not for the performing horses; but his sufficiently to remember this; but at memory is very indistinct. His impresthis time, so soon after the occasion of sion is that these shoes were made in the unveiling of the skeleton of the Equus the form of crescents and were nailed on domesticus at the Natural History Mu- the creatures' hoofs; but the story sounds

which for too long they had come to look upon as their property, to be shared with horses and horse-drawn vehicles; but these revolts soon settle themselves, and in course of a few years it was as natural for the roads to be empty of foot-passengers as before it had been for them to cluster there. The roads are of course for wheels. A man who is so eccentric or impecunious as to use his feet must find his way as he can.

An Invidious Distinction. "To be had of all respectable tobac& Co. LTD., conists, also from Strand."--Advt. in the "Sketch."

Every Little Helps "NURSE wanted, good needlewoman, to take charge of infant, who will help in housework."-Church Times.

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MR. PUNCH. "ANOTHER DERBY FAVOURITE, MY LORD! THIS REMINDS ME OF THE GLORIOUS DOUBLE EVENT OF '94, LADAS AND THE PREMIERSHIP."

LORD R-S-B-RY. "DON'T MENTION IT!" (Aside) "HOW TACTLESS!"

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"ORDER, ORDER!"-OUT OF CHAOS.

The Hon. Alfr-d L-tt-lt-n, in an innings of fifty minutes, makes "0, not out."

House of Commons, Monday, May 22. All eyes in now crowded House were tornadic force silenced him. He stood -ALFRED LYTTELTON, Secretary of State turned upon PRINCE ARTHUR, lolling with for full five minutes facing the music. for the Colonies, has beat the Parlia- studied negligence on Treasury Bench. ELLIS, custodian of Parliamentary primentary record. In the longest time he Naturally expected he would promptly vilege, rose from back bench behind has made the briefest speech ever rise to reply. It was his affair solely and Opposition Leaders. It was the turn delivered by a Minister of the Crown personally. He made no move, and of the country gentlemen, and they standing at the Table of House of LYTTELTON, appearing at the Table, laid sustained their ancient reputation. Commons. It consisted of three words: on brass-bound box notes of speech to "Order, Order!" they bellowed, "The Prime Ministerpreparation of which he had sacrificed his "LYTTELTON! LYTTELTON!"

He followed in due course Leader of dinner. Opposition, who moved the adjournment A moment of dumb amazement folwith intent to extract from PRINCE ARTHUR lowed. House accustomed by this time definition of his latest attitude on Fiscal to PRINCE ARTHUR'S cavalier ways, his Question. C.-B., rising promptly at airy disregard of precedent and conven9 o'clock, spoke for twenty-five minutes. tionalities. This too much. Before His address, reasonable in spirit, moderate LYTTELTON could open his mouth an in tone, was in no wise responsible for angry roar burst from crowded ranks what followed. "All we want," he said, of Opposition. "BALFOUR! BALFOUR!" regarding PRINCE ARTHUR with persuasive they cried. LYTTELTON looked round with mien, "is a plain simple answer to a appealing look. Began and ended his plain simple question." speech,

There was a pause whilst DEPUTYSPEAKER read terms of motion submitted.

"The Prime Minister- -" he said.
The roar of "BALFOUR!" rising with

After vain effort ELLIS resumed his seat, hoarse and baffled. Might as well have shrieked remonstrance to Niagara tumbling over its cliff. LYTTELTON again appeared at the wicket. The Opposition, having had useful couple of minutes' rest whilst Ministerialists took up the shouting, resumed with fresh vigour.

"BALFOUR! BALFOUR!" they shouted. LYTTELTON stood mute at the Table, with elbow resting on brass-bound box, that in days gone by GLADSTONE used to thump.

"Speak up!" shouted Mr. FLAVIN.

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