, 1877-06-17
EUROPEAN GOSSIP.
An American Woman's Experience
with London "Cabbies."
A Wonderful Baby Actress In F1orence-'.
The Duchess Of Edtnburg.
An English Growl at Queen Viosoria-
Drunken Russian Priests.

L
TIE LONDON "CAHnY."
8 LHxtss Chandler Aauan In LaNdon Tater.
Shall eycr forget my first solitary expert
cncc Of the tcn,lcr metcies of London cabbyl
! had been there two weeks, perhaps, and had
been driven here aud there in irlondly company;
but At last WIS to venture forth alone. 1t was
Sunday nitetnoon,-a lovely Juno day,-u1i!ch
should have prodnced a melting mood even In
the hard heart Of cahby, had been biadcn
to an Informal 5-o'clock tea at the house OF a
: certain poet, In u certain quiet "Road,'
among the many "Roads" Of Kcnslng~
Ton. An American friend put ne
sadly but hopefully Into q hanson.
asked him how mitch was to pay, and was
told IS pence. I always ask this question bv
vsy Of prccautton; but haze found aincc that
there Is usua1ly a sad discrepancy Of opinion
between my friend at tho beginning and my
driver at tho cnti Of the route; however, / had
not learned this fact ut that ear1y epoch.
+ "Eighteen pencc,n sa1l my friend. VI think
you'll he ali right; but II there's any trouble,
you know, you must ask for his number, and
I'll havc him up for you tomorrow"
thought he Wis pretty we'll "up" already.
Indeed the up-ness, L may coin q word, ot
the driver is the most extraordinary thing about
a hanson.
I heard m5 friend announce tho street and
number OF my destination, and tho sweet little
chernb that sat up nloft make reply: ,.
e Indy knows ~SrS G1n,a hSs agq aGg r.
drive lid not seem long. Al havc said, It was
, day In JUNO
Sweet day. 50 pure, 70 calm, 80 bright,
The bridal Of the earth and aky.
I could not SEQ much Of tho sky, however,
bat caught, when I strained my eyes up
ward, gl!mpscs Of great, deep, blue dome,
with white, clouds drifting. across II
tic tic" birds. M AS As We 81 got t. itiis out d the
from gardens in bloom alled tho a!r,-In tho
gentle breeze the, treee bougns waved 1azsly,-,,
there was evcrywllcrc brooIsur warmth and
peace, which pleased my Democratic heart BY
thinking that cabi'S must also enjoy. Was hc
= not grateful to nc. I wondered, for taking him
mt pat1s1 Suddenly my reycrie was broken BY
Ills voice. lie had opened the trnp In tho roof,
and was calling down to me- from bis perch:
, (which o. them turns, ma aamF
had never been In Kcnslngton before.
looked on in front, and down the cross-strcet at
caci, side. Instiet failed me; I had not even a
eonIsstare 70 ', heard H r., snsxessd,', .1. mildly:
'Uh, you don't know, don't you'll Well, then,
Tn sure don't. Tho gentleman eaIl as yot!
knew where you vas a-Eotn' or wouldn't a
Then spoke severely. The dignity Of free
bor1, American asserted itself. I said:
e. am not driving this cab. wish 10 70 to
1863 Blank road, but It Is not my business TO Gnl
SEQ"
but the peace OF the June afternoon Was over.
It seemed to mo that the very hanson, moved
sucnlv We Kspt 65nsing up 1an a,'t s1k a.
QulTy, md then We Went on agala' AZ last Wo
reached BlHnk road. ! saw tho nano on 9
street sign, and soon we drew up before l3. !
extracted 19 pence from my purse. md handed
1t with sweet serenity to my cElaTiatCcr. Words
mil t:,e TO describe the contempt upon his cx-
prcssiyc eountcnanee, 1lu turned tho money
it M might @ IT. % curious met. At length 10 de-
1naEdct, In tonu which implied great self-con-
trol on bis part: .,
.,",WSill "Will you tell me what th's zero money Is
III Is your farc," said. with 4 smile which
should hive mcltcu Ills heart, but It didn't.
'My iarct's !ti" aud ltls vo!ce rose 70 a Wild
khriek. "Aiy fare, ta ttf" And you take INC
! wus gettin' dozen fares Nh hnut, and bring
1ao to .Lia Go'l.fo.saken R pnse, and then otfer
a t7aw osa y Gs pss xcrT 70
least no I'll tuse.''
I took out another silver ahill|ng, anil handed
| 1t to htnl: hut fels that lad tho dignity OF
an American ctixcncsa 10 maintain. I rcuen',
>bcre.i what my friend had told mic, and said
And now will takc your number, II you
pcAAc.'
"les, I'll give you my number. Oh, ycs, you
shall ave my nu''Ihcr and welcon'el mn! he
torc oa from somewhere sort OF tin plate,
With figures omit. ! had been accustotned to
the printed slip which cSery Frcnch coeher
me that tb!s metal card wua rather clumsy, nnd
and lila: II nc carried many such atout him
They must somewhat weigh down his pockets;
but knew that England was country where
,, they believed IN making thIngs solid and dur
Able, an1 l suppo6cd II was quite natural that
cabbea should present their passengers with
metal numbers, instead Of paper oncs; 50, hold,
lrg thG, thin: aingrsiy IN my hand, marched
TRANQUILITY up the ftcps of my frienl's house.
havu seen In Italy ind elsewhere various
, pictures Of the decent Of tho fallen Rntl con-
jcnsNcd At thrfast day, hut think eycn Michael
Angelo might hare caught new inspiration
from thc sies,cnt Of .ny eatby.. 1le plungea-1
an think OF no other wofd--tlown from hls