The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-02-05
THE PRESS
lMONDAY MORNING. FEB. s, 1879.
An ExtOrtiOnate Cabman.

encounter three years since? If he be still in
the trade, some of our readers may have
CHANGED upon him, and may recognize him
by our brief description.
The man was a character, and his method
of procedure, at least in the instance which
we are about to quote, was novel and original.
He was short, bull-necked man of some
fifty years of age, with red and nubbly coun-
tenance, and two small, twinkling gray eyes,
set very car back in his head; he was lame
and wore black glazed hat,. like a French
coachman's his language was fluent, person
al, and marked with the strongest adjectives; |;
and there was rum in his whole system when
we chanced upon him, jogging along in dis
tant suburb, Notting-hill way, at five in the
morning. We had been at a friends party,
and had not provided for the return Journey:
we were disconsolate, and six in number; and
the man saw our position, and volunteered
with considerable amount of politeness then,
to drive us homeward. The cab was roomy
cab, and would hold the six of US quite COM
fortably only try it. We did try it, for there
was drizzling rain descending, and no help
! in sight. We gave our address and were
driven off, mass of distorted humanity, un-
til we finally arrived at our destination in the
broad daylight, with the reproaehful eyes of
policeman upon us as we struggled from the
vehicle and strove to assume our natural con-
formations.
The settling up question came, and we are
of opinion that a very handsome donation,
that made amends for extra distance, extra
weight, and left decided margin for the
driver, was rendered on that occasion to the
eccentric being whom we are never likely to
with
him, he fell into position, and launched his
language at us.
he wouldn't touch it; he wouldn't lay a
hand upon it. He wanted double the money,
just doubled the blessed-he did not saybless-
ed-and measly-he did say measly-amount
which had been offered him. Settle the case
at the next blessed station-house (which,
however, was not blessed on that occasion by
the disputant-not he: though there was not
an inspector in all the land who wouldn't give
the decision in his favor. Ask the policeman
present what he considered was legal claim!
of course he would. But when the police
man went into calculation, and thought that
we might have given him something like
three shillings too much, no pen is powerful
enough to describe our cabman's rage and
modification, and general state of wounded
feelings. He tossed his shiny hat in the road
way; he executed amaniacal dance he cursed
us for hiring him, and himself for being hired
he startled his observers considerably by draw
ing from his pocket huge clasp knife, which
he opened and fourished around his head, as
an Indian savage might have brandisked it,
when scalp-collecting.
''Pm not a-going to hurt you," he said to
the policeman, 'or them. Not /. / knows
my place too well for that. Pm not a-going
to take their blessed"-please consider "bless-
ed' was not the adjective employed again
"and measly money. make 'em present Of
it, there! But amt going to have this poor
animal himposed upon. He shan't have the
misf0rtun' of drawing such measly lot over
again. Pm a-goins to cut his Ithroatp'
He went with solemn strides to the front
of his horse, as Virginius might have done to-
wards his daughter, seized the bride, held the
knife to the animals jugular region, and
paused.
"Are you going to pay up?" he asked in a
tragic tone.
No No we are not going to pay up any more;
'Then this poor critter must have his
throat cut. You amt a going to draw such a
measly lot again, old horse; it mt worth your
while--it isn't worth your living for.'
1t was impossible to resist burst of laugh
ter at this pathetic address. The policeman,
whose beat had possibly been dull that night,
fairly doubled himself up with hilarity. The
cabman paused again, with his knife against
the horses throat, as though he were shaving
it.
'.Will you give me eighteen pence more"
'sNo."
win you make it a shilling?'
'.Not sixpence? not measly sixpencep
"Not sixpenceP'
"Then give us your money; and, mind you,
III never take you anywhere again, not if the
whole measly lot of you was dyingp'
He closed and pocketed the knife, picked
up his hat, received his money mounted his