Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-29

At these words Mrs. Pullinger became
still paler.
! I'm afraid it must be his cab she mur-
INJURED feeby.
Whose cab . demanded the trades
man.
She uttered this monosylable, then stag
gered against the door post, and sank down
in fainting fit.
As he raised her from the ground, the
tradesman perceived the reason Of her sud
den swoon. \ dense crowd was coming
up the street, in the midst of which, borne
aloft on policemen's shoulders. appeared a
bleeding, disfgured body, with the arms
hanging helplessly at his sides
One day, about three weeks later, poor
Pullinger was lying on tresle-bed in a
ward of a London hospital. \ surgeon
was standing over him.
We'll, Pullinger, you're doing capitally.
Your tongues the right color. your pulse
is good, your skin moist and cooi,' said the
sul geon. Three weeks ago, i didn't
think we should bring you through. What
do you say to 4 chop for dinner
Too good for me, Doctor answered the
patient, with slight twinkle in MS eve
IF you feed me too well while I'm living
here doing nothing, I shall GET mischievous
Can't make the chop over to the missus :?
she must want it more than | do
I'm afraid not returned the kindly
house-surgeon it's against the rules
Mrs. Pullinger hasn't had her ribs broken,
or her brain concussed Besides, she has
met with good friends. Here she comes
and one of her friends with her.
Why, that's Mr. Jennings, the tea gro-
Ger in the Backfriars road = muttered the
patient as he stretched out thin hand,
and smiled a welcome on his wife.
Yes, it was Mr.. Jennings, the tradesman
to whom Mrs. Pullinger had addressed her
self when she fell down fainting at the ter
rihle spectacle of her husbands apparently
lifeless body. Mr.. Jennings recognized
her as an occasional customer, and being a
kind hearted man, made further inquiries
about her, interested several other persons
in the case, and, in fact became a substan-
tial friend 10 the family during her hus-
bands long and dangerous illness.
This was the first occasion on which the
house-surgeon had allowed Mr. Pullinger
to talk freely, so he had a great many
questions to ask. He was reioiced to hear
that the mare had escaped unhurt.
There wasn't a scratch upon her, re-
piled Mr.. Jennings.
And the cab 2
An, the cab was good deal knocked
about; near wheel smashed to atoms
What did Mr.. Wilkinson say ??
He went on dreadful, replied Mrs.
Pullinger, till this good old gentleman
explained to him how it happened
Yes interrupted Mr.. Jennings [ was
an eyewitness Of the whole affair Those
young men inside behaved shamefully.
They deserved to be hurt instead of you,
and they weren't hurt bit
| suppose Ned TomlinSon's coat be-
gan Mr.. Pullinger, hesitatingly.
Torn all TO tatters,' answered the
worthy grocer, and thief ran away with
his hat
Poor Ned = observed the patient.
: Here I've been laying snug and warm in
bed all this bitter weather, and Ned with
out a top-eoat; such beauty, too, with 3
welvet-collar. The very fust money l
earn
Don't fret yourself, dear Bob exclaim-
ed his wife; you don't know what kind
friend Mr. Jennings has been. He bought
Tomllnson new coat and hat
Mrs. Pullinger you'll make me blush,
shading his face with his handkerchief,
and winking pleasantly at the patient.
At this moment a tall, thin, elderly gen.
tleman, with a pair of keen eyes, and
sharply cut, decisive looking mouth, enter
ed the ward. The nurses who were pres
ent rose and curtesied respectfully. He
shook the house-surgeon cordially by the
hand, and after a few words at the bedside
of several of the patients, drew near Mr..
Pullnger
You don't know me ?? he said rather
brusquely, fixing his searching glance on
the PROSTATE cabman.
Can't say L do, sir replied Mr.. Pull
niger, as he feebly endeavored to salute his
questioner by touching an imaginary hat.
But | know you, Pullinger,' said the
new comer,-' don't | Marshall TO the
house-surgeon. You're the man, who,
when you were delirious, used to brag so
of your workmanship
I'm sorry to hear | Dragged, SIR said
Mr.. Pullinger, deferentially Indeed, sir,
he's not given to boasting, interposed Mrs
Pullinger when he's himself he's the
humblest crea ure -
But makes up for it, ma am. when he's
ILL., said the visitor. Why he told me
that he'd been accustomed to drive four in-
hand up and and down the Strand every
day for the last thirty years
Lawk, SIR cried the cabman; that
was all fudge. | never did nothing of the
sort
He also told me he had lived for six
years coachman to Mr.. Danvers of Pot
tenham.'
That's true SIR exclaimed Mr.. Pull |
niger.
How came you to leave him and take
to cab driving p
well, sir, Mr.. Danvers was a determ- |
ined old bachelor, and he couldn bear nv |
getting married; SO | left and put my
savings into cab. l was unlucky with |
my horse; the first l had went lame, and
the next -. Well. sir, won't trouble |
you with SO long a story, but L was sold
up, and had to go to work for cabmaster.'
'That'll do said the visitor somewhat
abruptly, you've talked enough for to-
day. Good morning
Poor Pullinger felt almost sorry when
the day came for leaving the hospital He
was delighted to see his wife and children
in his own home again but he could not
helm thinking what a moor. shahhv confnad