Thoroughbraces

When you ride in your car and go over
a pothole or a dirt road, what keeps the car 
riding smoothly? That is the same function of
the leather thoroughbraces.

"We sat on the back seat, inside.
About all the rest of the coach was full 
of mailbags-- for we had three days' delayed
mails with us. Almost touching our knees, a
perpendicular wall of mail matter rose up 
to the roof. There was a great pile of it
strapped on top of the stage and both the
fore and hind boots were full. We had
twenty-seven hundred pounds of it aboard..."

The driver had the toughest job, controlling
4 to 6 horses or mules. Each rein needed to
be controlled separately with a delicate 
touch.