Lord Edward Churchill relates how he got a motor-car to please his daughter- another instance of the ladies taking a lead, and curiously enough, as in the other case of Mr. and Mrs. Koosen, the gentleman, when he is too sad for words, refers you to the lady's diary. She describes how, having broken down, they had to
'wait ages for that horse, but at last a cart-horse turned up and was tied to the car with ropes. The man thought he would ride, my father would steer, I would keep things cheerful, and we would trot home. We did reckon without our host, and we may thank Heaven that horse was quiet. The man whacked it and it suddenly started on faster, so the car went on with a jump, the horse slowed down, and the natural consequence was the car ran hard on to the horse. The poor dear beast thought it its duty to hold back, so sat down on the dash-board and did not move. Of course it broke in half, my father in the agony of the moment having forgotten to put on the brake. Then I could have cried, but I did not, and there was more to follow. We suggested that the man had better walk as we had had enough of trotting. . . Then the horse got its leg over the rope and wound the rope round the wheel, then the wheel ran on its hoof, but it did not mind, and I was too sad to cry then, so I tried to laugh. We got home in the dark at eight o'clock. The boys and men in the village were insulting, and called out "Whoa Motor! that's the way to lead it whome," &c. Even my father smiled then. He said it was a beastly thing, and talked of selling it and a few other remarks of that sort.'
Nevertheless he too is still an ardent votary of the sport.
No reminiscences would be complete without a notice of the Thousand Miles Trial of 1900, which would by itself supply material for a volume. The demonstration of interest by the public was remarkable, and the strongest expressions of good will came from the very old people of both sexes. This was much remarked on at the time. I attribute it to the fact that these aged persons had been young when railways began to cover the country, and doubtless had heard them spoken against on all hands, prophecies made that they would ruin the country, denunciations thundered against them from all who had to do with
