Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-10-30
AT NEAGARA-FIRST DAY.

" Look out for the hackmen.' So when
| reached Niagara looked out for them.
Looking out the car window l saw them.
There We're twenty-seven OF them in q
soldierly line, every mans mouth open,
eyes rolling and right arm waving about.
As stopped on the platform, twenty
six of the twenty-seven came at me, while
the other one attended to the remainder
of the passengers. They danced around
me, yelled at me, clawed at me, and as
steps, felt as it had been thrown over
fence. 1t was only two blocks to the
Clifton House, and whilo | was certain in
my own mind that | could somehow
manage to drag my body that distance,
after resting all night, those haokmen
differed with me. They walked behind
me, they followed after me, they blocked
my path, and each one vehemently as
sured me that | ought to ride. Even
when within thirty steps of the hotel one
of the drivers held his carriage door open
and shouted to mo:
Get right in ! Take you to the hotel
for two dollars-only two dollars"
didn't stop long in Canada, could
not get dinner at the hotel because |
wanted to cross fifteen minutes before the
regular dinner hour. couldn't get u
room because | couldn't get dinner.
couldn't get a cup of coffee because |
couldn't get room. The hotel boot
black wouldn't black my boots because
| couldn't get n cup Of coffee and it was
great relief to me to find that the man
at the end Of the foot bridge was willing
to take toll from me. l half-suspected
he wouldn't let me cross because | could
not get my boots BACKED.
They charged two shillings to elevate
you to the top Of the bridge towers on the
Canada side, while the fee is only ten
cents on the American shore. | asked
John Bull why this difference, and he
replied
Because Queen Victoria is a woman"
| had never given her sex a thought
before, and but for my ride up and down
that tower | might have some day writ.
ten school reader, and informed the
school children that Queen Victoria was
a camel.
The customs officer at The Canada end
of the bridge wanted to search my bag
gage l couldn't readily find the key OF
my travelling bag, and asked him to
sions consisted of
2 shirts, nght-shirt,
bottle hair-oil, l hair-brush,
tooth brush, | cake soap.
pocket knife, . keys,
| wallet, l handkerchief,
photograph Victoria Woodhull.
"Ili must ave look-hi must do my
duty" he sternly replied, and when the
key was found, he tumbled over my
things, tasted the hair-oll, examined. the
hair brush to see il | had not seereted
several boxes OF cigars among the hairs,
and finally condscated Mrs. Woodhull's
photograph as contraband.
Photographs hare produced by ha
chemical process" he explained, "hand
chemicals must pay duty"
| left it with him, and hastened on to
find that the American officer at the 9TH
or end Of the bridge was the proper official
to have overhauled me.
"Blast him |" he murmured, referring
20 the Englishman.
"Blast you both !" l replied, and for
revenge he searched me, and conHscated
the hair-oi on the pretext that the main
ingredient was lard and lard could moi
be imported without paying the duties.
While crossing the bridge, | should
have been struck by the mightness OF
the cataract, if | had not been struck by
the fore wheel Of an omnibus. When the
hide has been rubbed of a mans leg for
the space of two square inches | defy him
to feel for the next ten minutes as if he
cared two cents whether Niagara poured
over Il cliff, or crawled through a mill
race.
The hackmen made my accident the
pretext for rushing at me again and they
/ offered to convey me 10 tho International
| Hotel, a distance OF fifty rods, for
Five dollars"
-Four dollars"
"Three dollars"
"Two dollars"
"One dollar"
Gentlemen" J" said |, as soon as | was
able to get in word, :" am going to
walk that fifty rods or fall dead in the
road /! III die, divide my money evenly
among you and throw my body over the
bridge"
They drove slowly and kept constant
watch on me, and when they realized
that | was about to accomplish the her
culean feat, they set up mad yelling,
and drove around the square SO IS to head
me off at the hotel door. They didn I get
hold Of me again for an hour, as | had
the only key to my room, but when ap-
peared on the verandah, q hackman APP
preached and inquired
"lIave a hack 2"
No sir.n
Have a carriage ?"
No SIR"
Have a vehicle ?"
No sir"
Have laundy ?"
"No sir"
"IIave barouche ?"
"No SIR"
"Have an omnibus 2"
No sir"
"Have gig ?"
No sir"
"Have wagon ?"
No sir"
"Have sulky ?"
"No SIR"
"Have a wheelbaTow 2"
"No sir"
"Have handsled ?"
"No SIR"
LIZ lnnked at me and siohed. and fell