The Use of the Rains.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 263, 13 October 1874, Page 7

The Use of the Rains.

. [J ! • TTri •''' ‘ ' 'M' •' 1 ■ “Visitor,” in the Mptnl writes as follows,,j . i;ijw ►>. t k >, i>-> *i* I Khv® noticed that harrlly a rani* titudd seems to understand the true use of, the reins, This, while denoting a manifold want of thought, may account for rite frequent occurrence of- accidents through what is termed careless driving. I will first contrast the action of oUe Who knows' how to drive with one who does not. Observe him as he is about to "enter the 'vehicle. Pirstof all he takes a good look at the harness, pats his horse on the heck, then quietly gathers the reins to and steps in. Having seated himself on the right aide, he speaks his horse on, allowing it time to make headway before urging it on to a trot. The horse accustomed to thoughtful driving, obeys every signal with reliable precision. It will be observed that the thoughtful driver n&ver intentionally jerks the reins to make the horse advance, nor strikes it to make it stop. For no other use are the reins in his hands save for guidance or pulling up, and forno other purpose whatsoever js the whip in his hands but to ufge his horse forward when it is necessary to use it Indeed, the person who truly knows how to drive properly would as soon think of shooting the animal as of using the reins as a means of urging it forward. Such are the chief points in a good driver's style. He lets his horse go its own pace up inclines, arid makes up for time by easy pacing on levels and extended distances, knowing,.by experience that a short trot-up hill takes more strength or lung out of any horse than the longest easy rolling. Now for a specimen of the many-headed monster. He may be a young man of about 9 or 10, or an aged individual of 19, beyond which age T would fain not categorise, out of respect for antiquity, yet truth compels me to include drivers' of all- ages. Observe him as he mounts; how superior he is (in his own estimation) to all created beings, especially If he has a pipe in his mouth. He may he either a publican without being a sinner, or a sinner without being a publican, or both in one, or a rich reefer who was once what not even his own mother could tell, a grocer, butcher, baker, or any one of the numerous class whose business is to fetch and carry goods, or such ay ride about for the pleasure of advertising themselves. Look at him. How he clutches at the veins, scrambles into the vehicle, clucks ■with a noise like an old hen in agony, or the creak of an ungreased wheel, and jerks the reins with a force sufficient to break the jaw of any man, causing the horse to bob its head up in a state of bewilderment ns to going forward or backing down. erk, jerk, jerk. Why don’t the biped crack his whip, which he holds so theatrically, and give the quadruped rein 1 That is the question. The go of such treatment is that the animal either plunges forward with a look of terror or staggers along like a broken down jibber accustomed to ignorant handling. Now mark the progress up hill. Jerk, jerk, jerk. The horse responding, erects its head, (which is the most uneasy position going up hill,) and at length manages to pull the cart and its oc cnpants to the top. Now comes the grand display of the driver. Up hill the horse goes too slow, down hill too fast, consequently the whip is used forth® first.time to make him understand that he is required to go with more , regard for the packages than’ for his own convenience. So the reins are pulled violently, and the whip laid on at the very moment when its ’use is the last thing required, and it is a common practice to lash the horse when thy impetus prevents instant stopping. Is this a result of thoughtlessness, or a display of “ brummagem despotism peculiar to democracy J” “ :