Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-12-13
THE STAGE COACH.

AN OLD SKETCH Br WASHINGTON IRVING
In the course Of December tour il
Yorkshire England, / rode for long dis
tance in one of the public coaches. on the
day preceding Christmas. The coach was
crowded both inside and ont, with pas
sengcrs, who, by their talk, seemed prin-
| cipally bound to the mansions of relations
| or friends Ia eat the Christmas dinner.
IT was loaded also with hampers Of game
and baskets aud boxes of delicacies; and
hares hung dangling their long ears about
the cOachman's box. presents from distant
friends for the impending feast had
| three fine rosy-cheeked hool-boys for my
| fellow passen gers inside, full OF the buxnm
health and manly spirit which have OBJ
| served in the children of his country
| They were returning home for the holi-
days, in high glee, and promising them
selves a world OF enjoyment.
1t was delig htful to hear the gigantic
| plans of pleasure of the little rogues, and
the impracticable feats they were to per
form during their six weeks's emancipa-
ton from tue abhorre1 thraldom of book
birch, and pedagogue They We're full OF
the anticipations oi the meeting with
the family and household, down To the
very eat and dog; and Of the JOY they Were
to give their sisters, By the presents with
which their pockets were crammed; but
the meeting tn which they seemed to look
forward with the greatest impatience was
with Bantam, which found to be a pony.
and according Ia their talk. possessed
Of more virtues than any steed since the
daya of Bucephalus. How he could trot
how he could run! and then such leaps as
he would take--thefe was not hedge ia
the whole country that he could not clear
They were under the particular guard
ianship Of the coachman, 10 whom, when.
ever an opportunity presented, they hd-
dressed a host Of questions, and pronounc
ed him one of the best fellows in the whole
world. Indeed, could not bnt notice the
more than ordinary air and Importance Of
the coachman, who wore his hat little on
one side and had large bunch of Christ
mas greens stuck in the button hole Of his
coat He il always parsonage full of
mighty care and business; but he is par
ticularly so during this season, having so
many commissions to execute in consc-
quence of the great interchange of pres
ents. And here, perhaps it may not be
unacceptable to my untrayelled readers to
have "A sketch that may serve as "A general
representation of this numerous and impor
tant class of functionaries, who have a
dress, 4 manner, language, an air, pecul-
lar to themselves. and prevalent through
out the fraternity; so that, wherever an
English stage -coachman may be seen, he
cannot be mistaken for one of any other
craft or mystery.
He has commonly "A broad full face, cur
iously notified with red, as if the blood
had been forced by hard feeding into every
vessel of the skin; he is swelled into Jolly
dimensions by frequent potations of malt
liquors. and his bulk is still farther increas-
ed by a multiplicity of coats. in which he
buried like caulilower, the upper one
reaching to his heels. lie wears broad
brimmed low crowned hat, Il huge roll of
colored handkerchief about his neck, know
ingly knotted and tucked in at the bosom;
and has in summertime a large bouquet of
flowers in his button hole, the present,
most probably, of some enamored country
lass. His waistcoat is commonly of bright
l. al Ia Il
far below the knees, to meet pair of Jockey
boots which reach about halfway up his
legs.
All this costume is maintained with
much precision; he has pride in having
his clothes of excellent materials, and not
withstanding the seeming grossness of his
appearance, there il discernible that neat
ness and propriety of person, which is al
most inherent in an Englishman. He en-
joys great consequence and consideration
along the road has frequent conferences
with the village housewives, who look up
on him as n man of great trust aud de
pendence; and he seems to have good
understanding with every bright eyed
country lass. The moment he arrives
where the horses are to be changed, he
throws down the reins with something OF
an air, and abandons the cattle to the care
of the hostler; his duty being merely to
drive them from one stage to another.
When of the box, his hands are thrust in
the pockets of his great coat, and he rolls
1 Al. .l .T.l,.
absolute lordlness Here he is gener
ally surrounded by an admiring
throng of hostlers, stable boys,
shoe blacks, and those nameless
hangers on, that infest inns and tayerns,
and run errands, and do all kind of odd
jobs, for the privilege of battening on the
drippings of the kitchen and the leakage
of the tap-room. These all look up to him
rs to an oracle; treasure up his cant
phrases; echo his opinions about horses
and other topics of jockey lore; and, above
all endeayor to initiate his air and car
riage Every ragamutfin that has coat to
his buck. thrusts his hands i'll the pockets,
rolls in his gait, talks slang, and is an en-
bryo Coachey.
Perhaps it might be owing to the pleas
ing serenity that reigned i'll my own mind,
that fancied | saw cheeriulness in every
countenance throughout the journey. A
Stage Coach, however, carries animation
always with it, and puts the world in mo
ton as it whirls along The horn, sound
ed ut the entrance of a village, produces Il
general hustle Some hasten forth to meet
friends; some with bundles and handbOxes
To secure places, and in the hurry of the
moment can hardly take leave Of the
group that accompanies them. In the
mean time, the coachman has Il world of
small commissions to execute; sometimes
jerks small parcel or newspaper to the
door OF a public house; and sometimes
with knowing leer and words of sly i'm
port hands to some half-blushing, half
laughing housemaid, an odd shaped billet
doux from some rustic admirer. AS the
coach rattles through the village, every
one runs to the window, and you have
glances ON every side of fresh country
faces, and blooming giggling girls. At
the corners are assembled juntos of village
idlers and wise men, who take their = TIA
tions there for the important purpose of
A.