to the field
across the hedge, _Uncle Joshua_, grasping the _horn_, landed
in a pond, _John_ and _Aunt Penelope_, _Mrs. Burly_ and the
_grooms_ all stuck in the hedge. No one was hurt, but two of
the _wheels_ were broken to pieces and one _axle_ was bent,
and that was therefore the last of the old _Family Coach_. So
we never got to London in the old way after all.

If this story is not long enough, it can be lengthened. The words in
italics are those to be distributed among the company, each player
taking more than one if necessary. When the accident comes they might
all fall down as they are mentioned. In the case of the wheels and the
horses, these may either be taken all four by one player, or eight
players may share them. Thus, when the wheels are mentioned, all four
players who have taken the wheels would stand up and turn round, and
four others when the horses were alluded to.

The Traveler, and the Bicyclist

"The Traveler" is a favorite variety of the "Family Coach." In this
game a player with a ready tongue is chosen as traveler, and the
others are given such names as landlord, bell-boy, clerk, waiter,
chambermaid, electric light, elevator, bed, supper, paper,
sitting-room, bedroom, steam-radiator, slippers, and so on. The
traveler is then supposed to arrive and give his orders. "Can I have a
room to-night? Good. And how soon will _supper_ be ready? Ask the
_bell-boy_ to take my _satchels_ up to my _room_. Show me to my
_room_ and send up the _papers_." And so on, each person named having
to stand up or be booked for a forfeit.

This game lends itself to various new forms. One might be called "The
Bicyclist" and run thus:--A player having been chosen as the
bicyclist, the others take as many bicycling names (or two names each
might add to the fun) as there are players. Thus--lamp, wick, oil,
handle-bars, spokes, tires, chain, pump, nuts, bell, hedges, fields,
sheep, roads, hill, dog. This settled, the bicyclist will begin his
story, something in this style:--

It looked so fine this morning that I determined to go for a
long ride. So I got out the _pump_ and blew up the _tires_,
put the _monkey-wrench_ to a few _nuts_, filled the _lamp_,
trimmed the _wick_, polished up the _bell_ and the
_handle-bars_, and started off. The _roads_ were perfect. The
_fields_ were shining with dew, the _hedges_ were sweet with
honey-suckle, and I skimmed along like the