Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-09-01

ey is quite a proverb-not altogether al
unjust one, perhaps, though it should
be remembered that husbands Otter
keep their wives very short of that ar
ticle. which causes them to- look twice
at sixpence' before they part with il
unnecessarily; whereas their lord and
master filings his florins about In self
| ishly reckless manner; but from what
ever reason the Discrimination arises,
the British female opens her purse
strings with reluctance, and, In conse.
quence, renders an alteration with her
cabman certain. 1t is at this period OF
transaction that she regrets her disobe-
dent behavior, and would hail heI
Jones appearance as eagerly as she
lately hailed the forbidden vehicle.
"'Your fare is a shilling, my good
man, says she in a quavering voice, and
standing on tiptoe to present him with
the despised coin.
"a shIlling!'returns he disdainfully.
It's always a shilling, just a shilling,
with such as you. You knows how to
lay out your money, you do. I'm blest
if / don't think You women thinks as
how you will go to heaven for a shil-
ling.
Sometimes, on the other hand,
these ingenious rhetoricians pretend TO
an exaggerated respect for the sex, and
actually shelter their own extortions
under the egis of a petticoat. / re-
member upon one occasion / treated
the wife of my bosom to drive of con-
siderably over a mile and "a half in a
hanson, and in order to avoid the pos
sibility of a disturbance, rendered our
Jehu a form.
"'l his amt q half-crown, sir, said
hr, turning the coin over aud over in
his hand, as though he could scarcely
believe his eyes.
'''No, said L, slightly irritated, but
it is more than your proper fare, and
you know it..
1t was very wrong of me doubtless,
but upon his reiterating his extortion-
ate demand, / lost my temper, and call
ed him let us say) "a confounded scoun-
drel; whereupon hiding his face be-
hind his hand. as though excessively
shocked. he cried: 20 dear, o dear, to
hear such language used before lady.
With which parting shot, having from
his eyre perceived a policeman in the
distance, he slowly drove away. Who
would not be abRshed and discomftted
at receiving from such O source a lesson
In good manners.
One of the greatest compliments that
has ever been paid to the Church of
England, at the expense of the dissent
lug body, was delivered in my hearing
land indeed in the hearing Of halfa hun
bred people about to start by the north
express from EustOn Square) by one of
those Hanson cabmen. A high church
rector (It the very least with the stiff
est of white cravats. Nj. Il. waistcoat.
and upright coat-collar, had just stepped
out of this gentieman's vehicle, and
given ham what was doubtless his prop
er fare. More was demanded, but an
shake of the head was the
reply. The ecclesiastic, apprehenEive
OF the storm, began to walk as hastily as
dignity permitted towards the booking
office; but he could not escape the
winged sarcasm of bis late driver.
Well, If didn't take him for a |
and after all. he's nothing
better, you see, than a ranter'
''Surely an admirable stroke of impu- |
hence; the expression you see too, as
though he were secure of the sympa-
thIes of all who heard him, struck Inc
as being particularly happy. L have
never known this piece OF street humor
beaten except in one case, which,
a well known one, has not, / !
believe, been chronicled in print. Dur
ing the period of the Great Exhibition
at Kensington, the Omnibuses in that
district increased their fares from three !
pence to fOurpence. A Frenchman,
lverse to imposition, and who had been,
[ suppose, informed what he was TO pay
by some person unacquainted with the
change IN the tariff, prof1ered three
penny piece In payment for the journey.
'Fourpence, mOssoo, answered the
wagging his head.
"Ihe unfortunate alien, who could
not speak word of English, still ten
dered the smaller coin.
Zone, two, three, fOur-Four, cried
the other, counting the numbers on his
fingers, and roaring at the top of his
voice, as though that would render him
more ineligible. 'Fourl Fourp
''Thls went on for about five minutes,
in the presence of 'busful of people,
who wanted to settle their own little ac-
and enter the building.
He don't understand nothing,
groaned the conductor, when his store
of abuse was utterly exhausted. will
any lady or gentleman be so good as to
Oblige me with the French for a blessed
fool?'"