The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1864-07-27
Law and Manners on the ROad.

! All OF us have ideas more or lses correct,
iI regard 10 the law which regulates our
use OF the highways /; and, ct any rate, good
sense and good nature are usually very safe
guides few words on the subject, how
ever, may not oe amiss.
1t is commonly said that every one has q
! right 10 Half the road. This 10 practically
| true, and comes about in tais wise: You
/ and meet upon the road-our legal rights
are exactly eqha al, and both have right 10
our own several ways without obstruction,
so, popularly, We say own aalf and you
half. The law steps in to facilitate matters,
! and directs each TO turn towards his right
/ hand The road should be "worked" wide
/ enough for two teams abreast, then each
! man has clear titIe..to a passage on his
! right hand side of the way aud no one
! has a right to obstruct another while on his
i the load or tie team; for if one can drive
| such team that another can pass him but
( with difficulty or not al all, then their rights
are no longer equal. This point becomes
/ very important in winter, for il lie no joke 10
+ turn your horse and all into the deep snow
while your neighbor goes smoothly along
in the beaten path. No one has right so
to load his team as not to be able TO give
i up halt the track to whoever dem ands it.
| A footman may choose the part which
pleases him or any portion OF his right hand
half the way and the team must yield It TO
j him. This s clearly SO in winter, and no
man is obIige 10 step into the snow for one
or two horses This is the law, and the
Court awards it.
Now for the manners OF the road, which,
in some instances, vary from the law there
Of.
The first requirement. of road manners is
good nature and an accommodating spirit.
Do 10 others as you would have them do %
you. Always bs willing to yield more ;hsn
hall the space, then you will be pretty sure
to he equally well treated They who ex-
act inches will have inches exacted of them
ii your neighbor has heavy load. consult
his convenience as far as possible you
may someiime be loaded. Ii has become a
pracucal rule OF courtesy TO turu out fol-
wood and logs, and for other heavy teams
in winter for they say, we often cannot
turn out and never safely, so, if yoG want
wood. accommodate US - which We are
very willing TO do. Blu. remember if was
ciprocal duly to perform, one which, ! am
sorry to observe is not always born in
mind When you have unloaded and are
returning empty, just recollect that you had
the whole road in the morning, and il is no
more than fair that you should be particn-
larly obligng to those whom you meet now
and give them their foil share o! the path.
One word in relation 10 teams going the
same way ; in which case many seem 10
think there is nei:her law nor manners
When a team comes up behind you, which
desires TO proceed faster than you DO, The
team has a right 10 reasonable space and
! opportunity 10 pass in-in fact TO halt the
road for tha, purpose-and your ohsiructins
him in his lawful desire is both. bad man
nsrs and bad law. If your load ir heavy,
I do the best you can. In most cases the
very Ieastthat can be asked is that you stop.
This is particularly so in winter, when 1t is
| a heavy tax on team TO force 1t into a
lrot in deep snow-made necessary by your
continuing at walk. My remark above
in relation to the emp,ied wood sled ap-
plies were, and il one wishes to pass you,
remember that while loaded you had III 9
whole road.
| One remark more, TO and Tor The ladies'
First, to them. II out walking keep in the
! palh-never step into the snow or mud for
any ordinary team If you NEE, the team
step into your righ: hand track or part oi
the road and all goes easily. II the team
comes up behind, step into your left hand
track then, as sleighs are built, the horse
| is in the other rack, as before. Whereas,
| If You continue in your right hand track the
horse or the team must travel wholly ia the
deep snow in order to pass you and the
driver will be tempted to scold bis wife as
proxy for the female sex generally.
have to say for the ladies-always turn
out for them. They are entitled 10 the right
hand half, aud will you run over them be-
cause, in their confusion at meeting one o.
the 81 ords of creation, they happen TO take
their half out OF the wrong side
close this somewhat lengthy dissertation
with an appropriate aphorism Whee
grease is great lubricator. but good man
ners are vastly greater one Cfarsrnon
IN H. Eagle.