The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-08-02
THE HACK DRIVERS STORY.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

--. - NH
We all have our ups and downs, I sup
pose, have had, know. Once | had not
had fare all day, nor, for the matter of
that, the day before. Perhaps, having
grown little seedy, people picked out a
sprucer coachman Anyhow, there | sat-
dlsconsolate and wretched, upon my hack
floor, with my feet dangling out, not caring
how soon the end Of the world came-for,
besides my low spirits, it was a drizzly, chill
ly, uncomfortable evenlng-when | saw a
figure inside of the park that put me in
mind Of old times, and took me back to the
country place where | was brought up, as
picture of it mi ght ..
There was a girl there then called Lizzie
Murray-a beauty, people said-with eyes
as black as jet, hair just one mass of rip
Piles, a cheek like peach. A girl who
was said to have the finest bust, smallest
waist and foot of any girl abGut-a girl the
fellows fell in love with in the most surpris-
ing way. | liked her myself and she
might have done what she choose with me
men richer thap would have been glad
to marry her. But she thot of something
higher than being "a workman's wife, and
when at last a fashionable young fellow,
who had come down to the hotel with 9th
er fashionable people, began to cast admir-
ing looks upon her, she fancied | suppose,
there was no need Of being civil to com
mon folks any longer, so she just cut us all,
and for while some thought that young
Benton really was going to marry her. He
followed her wherever she went He gave
her splendid presents, and he seemed to
worship the very ground she trod upon
He kept it up all summer long, and when
he went away she told her friends that he
was coming back at Christmas time to mar
ry her
She believed it when she said so, and no
doubt he told her SO; but he never came
near her again.
She had been very proud of the match
she was going to make, and very fond of
him, and she was terribly cut down by his
deSertion. Ht
After while the people of the place be-
gan to whisper and talk about her, and
pretty soon the women of the place would
have nothing to do with her. She lived
with her brother and his wife in little
white framed house in the village, and a
good many people will remember the day
when they saw her leave that house-turn-
ed out of it in shame and disgrace-going
with the baby in her arms towards the road
that led to the city. They had been as
hard with her at home as others were, and
her sister-in-law would never hear her name
mentioned again.
Now that figure in the park, sitting on a
bench in all. the rain, in tawdry finery,
with that strange look about it you can t
describe, but which you never see in good
women, put me in mind of Lizzie Murray.
1t was coarser and heavier, and it was not
a young girls figure, but for all that it
looked like her, and it looked, too, like a
woman that had seen terrible hard
ships, and may be, had no home to go to.
| sat wondering whether it was all fancy
or whether Lizzie Murray had really come
to this, and yet looking out for fares all the
while, and hailing every man and woman
that went past with : Have a ride, sir 2"
" Have ride, ma am 2" when L saw
coming across the park, with portman-
tau in his hand, fine looking gentleman
who looked as if he had just come off a
journey. He looked like fare to me-
You get to know EN- at sight. and | got
up and held the door open waiting for
him.
1t was raining sharply, and mine was the
OILY coach on the stand, and l saw him
hurry when he felt the drops. But just
then the woman on the bench sprang up
and caught him by the arm,
| saw her face then. and felt sure it was
Lizzie Murray, and when he turned, it
flashed into my mind in moment, that if
he had lived so lorg, Mr.. Benton who had
wronged her SO, would have looked like
this
| saw that he was nervous about the meet
ing, and that as he broke away she followed
him and when, almost without word,
he stepped into my coach, she came close,
and would have spoken to him again, but
he cried out in an irritated voice. m
If you have anything to say, step in
Don't attract the attention of. every body in
the street. We can talk as we ride"
And she stepped in. The look ON her
face as she did so made me think that,
whether she was Lizzie Murray or not, she
was very dangerous person.
"Where to ?" [ asked, and he seemed
to ask question.
To No--street, for this-this lady,
he said "Afterward to No.-Madison av-
enue, for me-
Then he said harshly-for / heard him
plainly: Come, say your say out you
havn't long to say it in. What do you
want ?-money ?" l
/ heard her laugh and then | drove on,
and the rafting of the wheels kept the
voices from my ear, except now and then
when they were raised little.
Night was coming OH fast, and by the
time i reached the street he had men,
toned it was quite dark and the rain
pouring.
wondered how the numbers ran, and
had not found the right one yet, when |
heard the woman calling me to stop and
when | did so, saw her jump ont at once
and shut the door behind her. The gentle
man never stirred, but l did not wonder
at thu-he was not likely to be very polite
to snch poor creature. 81
rs this the NUMBER / said