The New York herald., 1876-11-28
A RIDE ON THE PELHAM COACH.

AN OLD ENGLISH GENrLEMANs ACCOUNT OF
his TRIP on THx PELHAM coAcH-coAcH-
rSe ~ ruE oLDES riMg-BEAUrIrUL Seem
EEy OF MERRIE ENGLASD-THE PLEASURES
or TRIP TO PELHAM-IScIpESrs By THE
wAy--A JOLLY TINE.
From the spirit Of the Times Nov. 25
NEW YoaK, Nov. is, 1875.
DEAR ssIRlr-v when told Colonel Kane the other
morning, az took nay by his side on The Pelham
coach that was seventy odd years age would you
eve me- he would no, take my word for ~ He declared
could not be sixty. That was neat compliment,
but am sure he'll look as young and hale as DO II
he continues has coaching exercise. There's nothing
ike driving and riding IN the open air for health
remember when was boy aud used TO 90 homo
from Rugby for the holidays the coach. being de.
lighted with the ruddy wholesome looks OF the driver
that iongcd TO be one myself All you people who
travel BY ral IN stang ana overhcated saloons,
rushing at breaihess speed through bleared land
scape, have idea OF the real pleasures OF
travel. When was young we knew some.
thing about them. Then there wcro none or
your scrceching engines aud ratsliDg trains exist
cnce; nothing out coaches aud d,lgcnccs II is
thing, assure you, worth more than you think Tor
10 take "trip on Colonel kane's coach To the old
lIkc myself, II calls up days of childhood and youth
gone never 10 return, and TO the young gives them
good idea Of the ways and fashions of their forc.
fathers
Let me- before make you acquainted with the
Colonel and his team, give you some OF coach
ing in my lime Ny time was hity years ago when
was lusty hardy lad, fresh from dear "oid Cam
have travelled ''han,le' as the Scotch say since
then. I've just crossed the great Continent from side
side, and this is my nth glorious America
In my time there must have been al least hundred
BIZ n a nd und Land
They used from old inns in and about
the city and return TO them. These inns were Jolly
old places Very few Of them exist They were
big, rambling, queer mansions, built, many OF them,
before good Qaecn Bcss' reign, and were wainscocd
with oak, and heavily carved panels ornamenied The
spacious They ull OF galleries and pas.
sages, halls and corridors and starcases Two throe
OF them such as the Talbot, in Southwark, and inc
White Hart had inner courlyards round which were
galleries oi tho most picturesque appearance The
interesting and bussiing place Tho coaches iro-
quentiy passed through the man entrance and
entered the yard 10 discharge their pass en- sers,
and there invariably least two or three
coaches assembled here together with several wagons
n!led up with goods, ready to bc unoadcd or which
had just received their freight The long wooden
benches by he side OF the door were usually cuped
by persons expecting trends or by td.ers reading tho
papers or smoking long clay ppcs--cigars were little
known IN those days In the morning, when the
coaches were ready to DEPART there was end 10 tho
hustle in the yard Nine host ana his wilc stood at
the door to wish good speed the departing travel
lers. Boots there. too expecting a copper Tor
stray jobs and errands, and the buxom houscmaids
viewed the proceedings from the upper windows with
many hearty pca Of laughter at the least misbap
There was an odor OF aRo0d substantial breakfast
the air, and the appearance Of the travellers
was unusually jovia. sometimes we haa
pathetic laavctak!ngs between mothers and and
wives and husbanus; but somehow or other, rule
were jolly LOT. Presently, when the last traveller
dren set up shout the dogs barkad and with many
nod anu wave ol tho hand, tho coach started its
journey Away we went, down through tho quaint old
s ects OF suburban London, in those days still ull OF
medinval houses and iittlo altered The great
nre in the time OF Charles H. in couple Of hours
used to be quito beyond the city, Ia the open lovely
English nelds--ieids covered with houses ana
long lines Of new streets Oh II glorious cspc
oally IN late spring, when the air scented with
imprcgnaied tho bamy atmosphere. Sometimes
when we trottcd through the lawns the horses
ears wero tckied by overhanging garlaads OF haw
thorn, and We could study ut our ease The beauties o
Englsh landscape. You good people who rush through
linoss OF the mother country. What know y1uo her
charming villages, with their anccIt churches, uang
q thousand years back, whose towering stecplcs arc
wrapped thicky in IVY and at whose iect nestle the
peaceful graves OF generationsy How can You apprc-
ciac the quaint village Streets pretty houses and cot
tage garaens, which give hundred eviuences OF
contentmentY Just without these old villages
stands, in nine cases out OF ten, Tho Iordly hall,
with It's historic associations. Oh Tor the
grand country seats Of merry England. with their
| splendid Gothic windows aud noDlc towers their
glorious parks ul oi old the hills. beneath
whose sweeping boughs tho deer nnzc peacefully and
the svery river Is seen gliding by. rcaeciing tho
charming scenc on us peaceful bosom And the
sweeping fields richly cultivated with every variety
OF produce, and tho dciighul lanes with their time
honored hawthorns and the views o cathedral spires
ancient castles and ruined aDbcysl You goou travel
ers OF to-day cannot enjoy these mover to- forgotten
scenes, as we did when coaching WAS tho only means
OF travel tell you 100, tnat you cannot truly ap
prccalc the beauties OF your lovely land
now your fathers did Why, sirs, No cne knows
how lovely the neshoorhoSa Of Ne% YORK IS unit. he
carriage you SIT too low down 10 SEQ the whole
sweep OF the country, whereas, on tho top OF
tho coach you just high enough to enjoy the
full beauty OF the sceuery To all New YORK
say take = trip the Pelham coach, and. by JDve,
Pm pretty certain no one has ever been on u but would
But let mo 90 back 10 my time. In my time we--
the coach aud its oscupantswere tho grea; events OF
the village dny. Our horn was the sigual for much
pleasant conmotion, and the CHEEKY announcement
that there was 4 tive minutes stay" was, indeed,
agreeable, notonly 10 the travellers but TO the villa
gers. We always put up al Tho chict inn, usually
rambling old place. with gigantic signboard swinging
boars head or a rampant white lion Al the door tho
smiling host or hostess, ready 10 greet with
cheercst OF welcomes glad to get The latest Guy news
aud especially eager 20 recommend their home prewed
beer.
But on and on wc 60 galoping now. woting now,
going apace to our destination Al all seasons
coaching except very bad weather, was pleasant,
and especially jolly, used TO think u, at Christmas
time when / went home .or tho holidays. Then
wasn't u Jolly 10 pass the night at the way house
the hospitabie board OF which groaned beneath an
supply Of Christmas daniics, turkeys and mince
molly spriss OF mstlstool Ailer supper used
TO gather round the spacious hrepacc anu while the
men smoked their pipes and sippcd thor grog, tho
tale went round, and BOY ike listened and watched
the Goals making pictures IN tho fire. But all this
in ssmy tiincn MY years agol
"Yes, Colonel, y said to Colonel Kane the other
morn ng We sat side by sdc the coach box, Il
seventy odd years OF age, aud here am enjoying
IN amateur coacning expedition IN the New World"
lie laughed He's downright pleasant young gen
tcman, hearty and manly, wth wholesome look
about him ana clear eyes, that prove that the
American climate II properly used. good any.
Coca exercise in the open AR, walking, riding,
field sports and boating, and plenty OF II,
will make change In Young America.
The Yankee boys or the rising and next generation
won't look much like Uncle Sam in Punch. if they
stick 10 the love o manly sports which has atoy been
awakened over here And, by tho way, since you,
Spirit have ucsted to write tns rigmarole
about coaching let me compliment you heartily The
excellent articles which constantly appear your COL
umns encouraging sport and athletic exercises OF all
kinds