The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-01-12
MISCELLANEOUS.
Boy COachmen I'm Russia,

The Russians are the best coachmcn in
the world. In order to acquire the great
skill in driving to which they attain, they
begin their training early-in fact when
quite children. 1t is wonderful to see the
boy-coachman driving carriage-and-four
over rough and dangerous roads, at full
gallop, for ten or twelve miles at a stretch
Russia, as all know, is q country of vast
extent, with an average width of / 1900
miles, and containing, as some estimate
100000 of square miles. The ordinary
carriage roads are nearly the only means
of communication but these are of yer,
inferior construction. Huge hollows and
stones continually intercept the travellers
progress; frail bridges of wood, without
any battlements or outside protection
whatever, stretch across wide and rapid
rivers; and over the dangerous roads, and
the still more dangerous bridges the Rus
sian coachman dashes at the fastest gallop.
1t seems a miracle that travellers do not,
as a rule, lose their lives and break their
limbs and coaches every journey. The
latter oft takes place; the coach being
stopped for repairs sometimes half-a- dozen
times on the road.
The Marquis de Crustine, who has writ.
ten an interesting and instructive account
of his travels through Russia few wears
ago, gives an account of one Of the boy
coachmen. and of little incident con-
nected with him.
I'm Russia" says the Marquis, the
desire of travelling fast becomes a passion,
and this passion serves as q pretext for
every species of inhumanity. My courier
- -,
render myself, without at the time perceiv
ing it, an accomplish in his acts of inius
tice. He is exceedingly angry whenever
the coachman leaves his seat to re-adjust
any portion of the harness, or when he
stops on the road on any pretext
Yesterday evening, at the commence
ment of a stage, u child who drove us had
been several times threatened with blows
by the feldjager for fault of this kind,
and participated in the wrath and impa-
thence of the man. Suddenly foal, not
many days old, and well known by the
boy, escaped tiom an enclosure bordering
upon the road, and began neighing and
galloplng after my carriage, for he took
one of the horses that drew us for his
mother The young coachman, already
guilty of delay, would again stop and go
to the aid of the colt, which he saw every
moment in danger of being crushed under
the wheels of the carriage.
My courier angrily forbade him to
leave his seat; the child obeyed like II
good Russian, and continued to drive at
q gallop, without offering complaint
Thus the poor colt and the unhappy child
were left to mourn 10 earnest the one by
neighing with all his might, the other by
crying silently. 1t was long martyrdom,
for the stage was six leagues in length
The boy, obliged to hasten the animals
he wished to save, suffered with resigna-
tion that would have touched me had not
my heart been already hardened by resi-
dence in the country.
Every time that peasant appeared
on the road, the hope of rescuing his be-
loved foal again revived in the bosom of
the child !; he made signs from atar off !;
he shouted when hundred PAGES distant
from the foot passenger; but, not daring
TO slacken the unmerctu gallop of the
horses, he never succeeded in making him
self understood in time. If ever peas.
ant, more quick-sighted than the others
endeavored of himself to turn the foal, the
speed of the outrage disconnected him,
and the young animal passed on close to
the flank of our horses. At length the
despair of the youthful coachman became
80 great that he no longer opened his
mouth. The persevering little animal,
only eight days old according to our dri-
yer, had the spirit and muscle necessary
to perform six leagues at gallop.
"When this was accomplished, our
slave-it is of the boy that | speak-see-
ing himself at length relieved from the
rigorous yoke Of discipline, called the
whole village to the rescue of the foal.-
The energy of this spirited little creature
was SO great that, notwithstanding the
fatigue of such course, he was still very
difficult to catch. They could only take
him 10y driving him into stable after the
mare he had mistaken for his dam.
when they had put halter round
him, they shut him up with another mare
that gave him her milk, but he had not
strength left to suck. Some said that he
would come round by and by; others that
he was foundered and could not live. Our
little coachman completely Unidentified
himself with the young animal. Never
have seen the expression of despair more
profoundly imprinted on the face of u
child; but not one lock, not one gesture
of reproach against my cruel courier es-
capped him.
," So great an empire over self, 30 much
restraint Of feeling at such an age, inspired
me with respect and pity"