Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-23
EVENING STAR.
A RIDE IN HER MAJEsTY,s MAILyaIa
| CONCLUDED. l

| az have not much fear about it take the
| accident as it comes,' said he. GA spill
every now and then is down upon the cards,
and it's no use being afraid. We kill two
| horses to breaking leg once. Last Monday
| week got an awkward throw. We were rat
| tling down two. mile hill, and were just cross
| ing the bridge at the bottom, when the mare
SHES at something; bang we come against the
| milestone; over go into the river below with
| no other injury than a few scratches; the
mare, however, was killed dead upon the
spot There was twenty pound gone slap.
could have afforded to have broken my arm
for half tho money. Poor Will Whipp.y,
| however, who was driving for me a while ago,
met with very unlucky chance. Bill. who
| kept the Lamb and Lion hard by, used to
| take turn now and then in friendly way,
| and prided himself upon his driving. Well,
Bill would dash on at spanking pace, blow
| ing his horn all the while for a mile or more
before he came to his own door, and then he
would suddenly pull up. Poor Bill did this
| once too often. 1t was a dark night; and
when he was at full speed, and within twenty
yards of his own door, bang came the gig
against the wheel of a wagon down went the
| horse, up in the air went poor Bill and pre-.
| sently he was discovered across the top of his
| own sign post, with no more life in him than
| q sack OF oats -
| After this fashion we proceeded on our way,
which, whilst they interested my curiosity,
in no way assured mo of the safety of this
| mode Of travelling. He had just concluded an
| anecdote of a curious mischance, in which he
was the hero, when, suddenly checking bis
horse he exclaimed, 4" HOllo. what's that ?"
The occasion of this was a peculiar shock to
| the gig, accompanied by remarkable sound,
| or rather succession ofsOunds receding from US
why, 1 IL be hanged, )" said my compan-
ion; /" if the tire of the off-wheel isn't gone"
And true enough, il was so. The iron band
| of the wheel was reeling down the road be-
| tween US some dozen yards away.
WELL" observed the driver, ''this is a
precious mess. How are we to get on now ?"
The wheel itself will be all to pieces present
ly. MOWever, there's no help for it we must
get on mile further to the Blue Post Inn,
| and there get another trap. Well just push
the tire out of the way, and perhaps the wheel
| will hold together for few minutes "
Having recovered the tire, and thrown it
over the hedge, we again seated ourselves in
the gg,- -momentsrily expecting premOnitory
symptoms of breakdown. However, with
out further accident, we presently arrived at
the Blue Post.
A blast from the horn soon brought the host
ler to our side.
"Sam,'' said my ON panion, 4" L want your
masters trap. I've had a breakdown. The
tyre Of the off-wheel is gone, and must leave
the gig here and go Oh with something else ,
masters just gone to bed,'' said Sam,
"but ii fetch him down in a minute
Presently the landlord himself appeared in
full bedroom costume whereupon my COM
papion again stated his case, adding that he
must get the bags to Pumps, without moments
loss of time.
"Can't have the trap tonight" +" said the
landlord.
Cant? But must. It's on the Queens
service
Don't care whose service" returned the
Landlord - shan't let the trap go out to-
night"
"Now, no nonsense, Brown" said my COM
panion. 1.-The mail must be carried on and -
he continued, assuming a dignity and an
Importance called forth by tue occasion, q
demand the use Of your trap in the Queens
name.''
Queen name OF no Queens name, you
don have my trap tonight" said the land
lord.
Don't be fool, Brown. If L choose,
can break open the coach house and take it.
The Queens service before any thing; so out
with the trap"
What I've said, I've said," replied Mr..
Brown, with obvious determination in his
manner; land you don't have my trap TO
knock to pieces to night
"Very we'll, Brown" continued my COM
panion, " have demanded your trap in the
Queens name on the Queens service, aud you
| refuse. You will hear Of this again, to your
cost Now, SIR" addressing me, we must
push on as well as we can. Jump up
was on the point of suggesting that, as /
felt no overruling interest in the immediate
despatch of the mail, but certainly did in the
| safety Of my neck, 1 would decline the fur
ther pursuit of my journey that night, and
would instead thereof partake of such ac-
commodation as the Blue Post would afford
| l was restrained, however, in my purpose by
| the double motive of not wishing to appear
| craven in the eyes Of my companion, or to
| promote the advantage of the unaccommo-
dating landlord. So l responded to the invi-
tation, and was again seated in the damaged
conveyance.
I'VE must get to Dumberton as well as we
can 1t only two miles and a half further
| on; and there 1 know / can borrow Bill Keel
| ing's tilted cart Hold on, sir, by the splash
board. If the wheel comes to pieces, shall
| 60 out first, and you viii have an easy fall
"But," ventured 10 remark, chad we not
better get out ourselves, and walk the horse?"
"Not at all" said he. "I'll keep to my
| be alarmed, sir. If the wheel holds together,
! it's all right and if it don't-why, perhaps,
| it won { much matter"
Though not perfectly agreeing with this
reasoning, nevertheless acquiesced in il ami
held my peace, keeping my senses upon the
stretch Tor the nrst lndlcatlon OF the coming
| smash, which l need hardly observe, L mo.
mentarily expected, On we went, however,
at our old pace, flying down the mile and
| half of hill, which found Dumberton at its
foot with lightning speed, breathing with one
| and the same breath anathemas on the wheel
| wright for his carelesSness in fitting on the
| tire, and blessings on his skill in putting the
wheel together
"Here, then, we are sir," said my compan
| ion with obvious exultation, "safe at Dunn
berton. Hello, Bill, there come out "
Bill Keeling was soon upon the spot, and
no sooner heard our case than he set about
supplying cur want. To bring out his tilted
cart, to put Pegasus into it, and transfer the
mail bags, was the work Of an instant.
"Thank'ee, Bill; good night Now, sir, we
are all right. It's only four miles to Pumps,
| and I'll bet ten to one I'm not ten minutes
after my time"
On we dashed at pace at which no tilted
cart ever travelled before. On and on we