Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1880-12-16
A Hackney Coach Driver.

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said hackman in Pittsburg. 81 don't
make The good hauls that used to, Tspose,
young man, that have hauled more people
of note In that hack of mine out there than
all the rest of the hackmen in this town
together" Glow is thatS" queried the
reporter. 'Wel, / have hauled all the
great actors and actresses that have come
To this city for the past twenty years
Seems TO me tuat the profession is getting
10 know ME, and whenever | see Lawrence
Barrett get off the train / says, How are
you, Mr.. Barrett? aud he turns round and
recognizes me. Barrett is good fare and
pays double, so he don't forget the hack
men. The last time that he was here |
hauled HIM To the hotel and then TO the
theatre and when he got out he felt in his
pockets and found he hadn't cent with
him. | says All right, Mr.. Barrett, and
he told me To call at the hotel tie next day.
| went around and he gave me gold piece.
Barrett is generous To Us hackmen, and
always has kind word or joke to pass
with lis. He ls not like old Forrest, who
is dead and gone. | hauled MIN down
from the depot once, and my front axle
broke at the corner of Grant Street.
thought Old Forrest would kill me. He
jumped out Of the hack and stormed and
ragged and swore like a madman. | tell
you he was not q nice customer TO handle.
AiIce Oates, in her palmy days used 10 be
a very dainty customer She would come
out and look into my coach very carefully
before getting in, and was dreadGully afraid
that the cushions would soil her dress; then
she would look at the horses and the rig
To see If it was stylish. Within the last
few years, however, she has not been near
50 particular. She has changed a great
deal since those early days. Formerly she
would come dancing out in vivacious,
sprightly way, that made her look very
pretty, but now when she comes here she
walks 10 my hack with her head down, as
slow and demure as priest. She don't
seem To care now whether the cushions
soil her dress or not. She always paid me
well, and | rate her among my best fares.
| suppose you remember when that old
Italian, SalvinI, was here. Well, he was
curious fare; he couldn't speak English,
and when | started for the hotel would
rattle on the window and stick bis head
out looking at the buildings. He stopped
me on Smithfeld Street, and pointed TO
the smoke overhead; it was rather misty
that day, and he did not seem TO under
stand what caused it.
''Fechter was mighty particular man
about driving, and would almost always
make me drive slow. When he came here
TO opez the Opera Honse | hauled him
from the depot, and he began rehearsing
some part in hcshack and got very much
excited. | guess people o0 the side walks
who heard him and saw his gestures
thought was hauling a mailman. Henry
Ward Boecher is nice fare. l get him
every time he comes here to lecture; he
always has kind word and joke and
never gets mad if get stuck in q crowd of
wagons. He always gives me pass to
his lectures. Theodore TlltOn is q cranky
sort OF fare, and never would say much
10 me, | tried TO draw him out two OF
three times when | have hauled him, but
he would always tell me to mind my own
business. He always saw that he gave me
the right fare and no more. | tell you
what ii is, taking them all IN all, lecturers
and professionals make the best fares. |
nave AOl 50 uOW Il Eau lC4A do QulCh dS Il
see my old customers whether times are
good with them or not, and while they
always pay well, they pay better Wien they
have had good run OF luck.
Il could go over a long list of stars that
have hauled, but these have given you
will do for samples. Clara Louise kellog
is a curious fare TO haul. Every time |
have hauled her she finds something TO
scold NE about. And ole time she had q
terrible row with Miss cary in my hack
about something. tell you expected TO
see hair pulling match, but they quieteC
down before we reached the hotel. | see
by the papers that Ole Bull is dead. Poor
Ole, he was q mighty kind hearted man.
The first tue hauled him looked little
hard up, and he talked and chatted with
me about my business, and gave me ten
dollar bill. He was mighty good man,
90 he was.
Lucille Western was strange fare.
She was always beaming with kindness. l
hauled her down to the hotel one night,
and she told me to wait and take her to the
theatre The front window was open, and
she would ask me all SORTS of questions
about Pittsburg and its people. After she
got her supper she came out to get into the
hack, and noticed she had been drinking.
She spoke very kindly to me though, and
when she got to the theatre told nae to
keep my hack at the door for her. told
her all right, and was driving away when
she called me back and asked me If
wanted to see the play. told her | could
not afford TO waste the time, and she said:
'Oh, never mird, I'll pay you double.
She gave me pass and l went in. She
played Leah that night, and tell you she
played it for all there was in the part.
When she came to the curse scene she
beat her face on the floor. she was very
much excited, and think will never sec
woman play that part as she did that
night. Poor Lucille, she didn't live very
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