The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-12
SOME JOYS OF FOUR.M-HAND.
. TRIP TO LAKEWOOD IN THE
OLD.TIME STYLE.
Van Nay Catch the Coaching Back"
bu, otherwise Are Certain to I'm.
Joy It--Incldents with Mr.. Hyde a.
Whlp - 4 Sentimental Journey In
Modern setting-Road Season Open.

his a long run by coach from Manhattan
n Iakewood-to be exact, seventy whine
miles and on this account the best Of ways
,o,rv for pleasure the method OF travel made
obligatory until 1925, when George Stephen
son started his railroad and got in the body
blov against mail coaches. The route
IA the same to New Brunswick as the old
coach road to Philadelphia, but It then
DIVORCES TO the southwark, while the Phlla-
dslphia road keeps on toward Princeton
and Trenton. In fact, there was more
travel by road from New York to Boston
than to Philadelphia In the old days. for
when the Knickerbockers journeyed to
Philadelphia it was mostly by water.
Sill, it is good to roll along on the rocking
coach, and. closing the eyes. to fancy one
is a traveller in earnest and that there are
no railroads or trolley oars in the worl d.
II makes no difference that the coach Ii a
reproduction in Its appointments OF the
flying machines OF the old English roads,
not of any pre-existent American system.
We are fellow passengers with Pendennis.
Copperield. Mr.. Pickwick. tom and
Jerry" with the immortal Jorrocks OF
the Sporting Magazine. That lad standing
10 look back at his fathers figure under
the Peacock lamp is Tom Brown setting
out to Rugby. The road coach OF English
fiction has friends the world around. and
the Liberty to Lakewood is a reproduction
Of the favorite vehicle of the novelists.
But this Is a log Of the present April
days and OF facts. 1t begins with the
start of the Liberty for Lakewood from
the Holland House. the roans and bays
Of the town team jumping into their collars.
- 81 81. liz. In, k<
boot and piping -Clear the road" from the
long brass horn. The onlOokers are mostly
men who stop for a moment on their way
10 stores and offices; but there are few
noted amateur and professional whips.
keen in criticism, with as judicial line OF
critics in the drivers Of the hotel cabs drawn
up along the curbstone. 1t is ten minutes
to 0. too early for the shoppers or gadders,
and the only women about are at the hotel
entrance.
The coach floats along with the vehcular
tide of Fifth avenue. for. barring double
deck bus, the traffic wave at that time
sweeps toward downtown. James II. Hyde,
the amateur who has put on the coach
for the fun OF driving it. IL, OF course.
the whip. He wears straight-brim high
white hat. the dress hat Of summer in ante
bellum days. and. tall, slim. with pointed
beard. Mr.. Hyde suggests the old school
in the South. or a Partisan boulevardier.
The team is pointed to the right at the
Worth monument There il a rattle over
the car tracks OF Broadway. and then IL
ia all down hill through Twenty-afth
street to the Jersey City ferry. On a
coach top the descent 10 plainly seen: ono
might walk the street for years and hardly
notice the grade.
The brownstones west OF Broadway
are merged into tenefnents and then into
factories. the crossing avenues marking
the succeeding strata Of buildings Women
and men hang out the windows Of the tene-
msn,s: more stand at the shop doors. and
children crowd the pavements and over
fow into the street. The talk that floats
to the passengers In good humored and
sporting 1t Is the same in the towns and
villages through New Jersey. land In the
open country road coaching Is manifestly
popular.
There are no special privileges at the
ferry. Tariff Is paid for a 'four-horse
vehicle and the coach rolls aboard in
line with trucks vans and carts.
Uphill work over trolley tracks and with
many quick turns follows the drive OF
the ferryboat at Jersey City. Presently
the first bit Of green is passed, the grass
plot skirting the court house, and the coach
is foon passing through the villas on the
heights There is a quick swing into the
street that leads down-hill to the bridges
and into Newark. There are two trolley
tracks in the middle Of the street and a
row OF telegraph poles along the gutter,
but the sidewalk is unpaved and narrow.
the embankment sloping to the level OF
the empty lots on either side.
along the sidewalk the other day remarked
Hewlett. Mr.. Hydes professional aid.
The team SHE'D from a trolley car, and
the only thing TO do was to swing In between
the telegraph poles and the failing.o place.
But luckily the horses kept straight
A bad place to try at night, said
Passenger.
Yes, although a man never feels fear at
night, for he can't see things. The qualms
come when he goes over the route again
by daylight"
:. The first chan &c is at Ferry street
Newark. Thence over asphalt into Broad
street. wide and open. turning past the
public buildings to the country. Past the
GOLF links the villa-lined avenue ends at
The railroad subway. at Elizabeth. where a
steep ascent through Main street brings
the coach TO the country road again and TO
the second change at Linden. An old
style sign swings before the roadhouse.
put up by Mr.. Hyde's orders, and there
similar sgnboard at Freehold,
ten-minute stop being made at each place
Tor refreshments. The signboards bear in
scriptions in burlesque Indian words.
On the Linden sign il sTakadrink Inn
and at Freehold .Aweebitdrappie Inn.
After Linden the drive Is through a
ParS-like stretch OF country, along the
Railway road and past the Colonia links
and The millponds 10 Iselin, country roads
esain through Metuchen and into New
Brunswick. the college town presenting.
pretty picture at the foot Of the hill,
With the Raritan River In the foreground.
The bridge ends In cobblestone street.
narrow and uphill. an excavation on one
ede for gas main and the trolley tracks
adding to the difficulties Of the way.
At this point Mr.. Hyde kept the team at
etrot and whirled the coach in and about
W the obstacles without halt. The tires ran
within Two inches of the excavation and
he Passenger on the end seat felt dizzy.
It's like steeple climbing" was How
sts comment to this passenger. III you
ook at the ground you will lose your nerve"
Did you ever upset a coach'' asked the
Passenger, still seeking comfort.
/ 30. but saw one 60 over once In Eng
and IL had an inside passenger. a typi-
cal country clergyman. with long side
ShIskers and great dignity. The coach
~. My on its side and there was q rush to open
the door