Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-22
EV ENING STAR.
A RIDE IN HER MAJEsTY,s ma1L-e1G

the west Of England to London, and in due
time back again from London to the west of
England, were events to which, in nv youth
full days, looked forward with the most plea
surable anxiety. To be seated at the top of
such a carriage, with the royal arms painted
on either panel, with guard behind and
driver before clothed in the regal livery-to
behold four spanking, spirited horses dashing
forward through mud, mire, or dust, and at
every stoppage meeting with the most ready
assistance for the promotion of our onward
journey, was to feel ones self an exalted and
superior being.
Those days alas, are forever gone; four
horse mail coaches have passed away 10 that
bOurn from which no fOur-hOrse mail coaches
return. But if four horse mail coaches have
succumbed to the iron locomotive, they may,
in some respects, be said to live again in their
numerous prOgeny-the mail gigs. Mail gigs
yet flourish, and long may they do so, carry
ing JOY and gladness to every little village
and hamlet in the kingdom, treading paths
and winding roads that no four-horse mail
coach would ever condescend to traverse, or
railway train vouchsafe to visit Hurrah,
then, for the mail gig the dashing, splash
ing, noisy, sometimes crazy, mail-gig; with
its guard and drver-bOth In One-perched so
jauntily up in his little seat, and its Rosinante
and Pegasus-also both in One-dashing like
mad over its ten miles an hour including
| stoppages Give ne the mail gig for a twen-
ty-ive miles of night journey through a quiet
country, with a road entirely to ones self,
| and only here and there village to call to
ones recollection the fact that we still journey
| through the scenes Of human life Give me
| the maii-gig, with "A snug nine inches of seat
beside the driver, who not only knows every
| inch Of the road, but is redOlent of the incl
| dents Of mail-gig jOurneyism and of mail
| ggiana, and desire no greater treat in life
Rrta arf luf fnl L Har Moi tvs
postmaster general pricking up his official
ears, and grumbling forth " Ha F! ha! HOw's
this Travelling by tee msil-gig I'll cancel
the drivers contract, and fine him into the
bargain" Good reader, keep it quiet; there
is theory promulgated at headquarters that
mail gigs carry no passengers, and that any
contractor who, in addition to carrying the
| mails, should carry males or females of an
| other sort, will surely have the bags taken
from him, and have the sack instead. L say
| this is theory merely, because in practice
but no matter, judge for yourself
Once upon time business found me late In
| the evening-a dark November evening-in
the little city of Springs, down in the west.
New, the city of Springs, as many may know,
is situated some twenty four miles from the
city of Pumps Upon the peace and quietness
of the former, no promising railway had as yet
ventured to intrude; and if, therefore, upon
any sudden emergency there should exist a
necessity for getting from thence to the afore-
said city of Pumps, post-horses and a post
chaise are still the legitimate means of tran
sit. Thus then, l repeat, once upon a time
being 80 located, news arrived which induced
me to think it desirable that early next day
l should present myself in London. By get
| ting to the city of Pumps, l could easily run
by the rail- but to get there without the assist
ance Of post, / should have incurred an ex-
pense of some four pounds. Whilst pondering
the matter in my mind, friendly suggestion
was made to me by the boots, that as he had
brother -in-law who drove the mail gig be-
tween these two places, who would be shortly
starting, could, for a small consideration,
get lit, and SO get to Pumps in time for the
night mail to London. The idea being ex-
actly in accordance with my own feelings, l
agreed to be taken up outside the town in half
an hour.
At the time appointed found myself on
the turnpike road patiently waiting to be
overtaken by my royal conveyance. / had
not to wait long, Tor exactly as the cathedral
clock struck nine, heard the blast Of the
driver horn as he drove through the arch
way of the cathedral green.
"GoOd night, sir. Jump up alongside here.
Good time, but none to spare. Dark night,
but it won rain"
Before he had concluded these few sem
tences, L was st his side. Now, eighteen
inches to each; but L have no hesitation in
saying that whether it arose from feeling of
politeness or not, l certainly was INDUCED
with at least twelve of the aforesaid eighteen
inches, nor would any persuasion of mine in
duce my companion TO take his proper share;
and how he contrived to sit and drive, has
always been to me perfect mystery
Now travelling over the road from the city
of Springs to tho city of Pumps was not quite
like perpetual going up one side Of a house
and down the other, but it put one very much
In mind OF 1t, the way consisting of about
twenty miles of almost perpendicular hill, re-
lieved by some FIVE miles Of rather easier gra-
dients. But what were hills to our Pegasus.
Absolutely nothing. On We went, indifferent
alike to ups and downs; the journey must be
done in the time allotted and If walking and
tTotting would not do it, why, canteriug must.
"Why, this is a tremendous pace 40 quoth
l, after perfect fight of a mile or SO down
a road which novice might fairly have i'm
agined was the high road TO a nameless place.
"Rather fast, ," he returned " but if am
to get over twenty five miles in two hours and
half, and take the stoppages out Of it, why,
there it is Half-past eleven to the minute is
my time at Pumps; and, wet or dry, frost or
snow, it must be DONE
What | exclaimed, 4" that pace at all
scasons?"
just SO, he replied 3 That's the con-
tra,t; and you may as we'll sing psalms to a
dead horse as to try to alter 1t. The Office
dciH have it, and contractors will be found to
do it.'
But accidents said /, 4" how about acci-
dents! They must be constantly occurring "
"And so they are" be continued, horses
killed, drivers manned, and gigs smashed
May trouble you, sir, just to get out and
walk to the other side OF the village This is
the Wooden Mallet. 1 have to stop a. the
office fer a few minutes, and if you take that
path you will get to the other side Of the vii
lage by a shortcut, and l will pick you W
by the time You get there"
With this he drew up, and alighted and
following his directions, soon found myself on
the further side of w OGDEN Mallet, in q moody
speculation as to whether or not my nights
experience of the mail-gig was to be signal
lied by any Of the unpleasant incidents to
which my companion had lately referred.
A few minutes and | was again seated as be-
fore
"a light mail tonight, sir-always SO of q
Monday. Sometimes very heavy-often ton
Il