Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-02-09
LEFT IN A CAB.

WnaC WEB Gao P0lSterOuS WlnG ana Cne
icy-cold driving rain. it was no more than
common humanity dictated that when.
after six.mile ride, arrived nearly at
midnight at my residence. Ishould ask the
weather-beaten cabman as paid hin3 his
fare at the open door if he would step in
side an take glass of something warm
He was an old fellow, and the reek of rain
had saturated his gray whiskers and pol
ished his red nose SO that it looked as
though it had been newly vanished. But
bis spirits were not in the last depressed on
this account. Cilvilly touching his hat he
opened his cape, and by the light of the
hall lamp disclosed a blue riband PINNED to
the breast of his coat. "I'm VERY much
obliged. Sir" said he, laying finger On
the ribapd. "but I've declared off drinking.
But if there was such thing as a cup OF
COTE. IN the way now-!" ST you wait for
five minutes you shall have lt.'' So will,
and thank'y, Sir" be replied, land mean
while. if you don't mind. I'll kiver up
the mare" And there was a. curiously
comical twinkle in his eyes as he added.
duty to take care of our CATTLE, don't you
see, Sir. If it is only by wav of setting a
good example to the drivers ?"
1t so happened that there was ''coffee ia
the way so that be did not have to wait
while it was being made, and while he sat
slipping it asked him how long he had
been cabmaster. The twinkle came back
Immediately, as he made answer, after q
pause. as though to be exact as to the ex-
ceedingly remote period in question II
have been cabmaster. Sir. ever since last
Thursday week. But I'll tell you another
nose with the teaspoon, az though it was
the best joke IN the world. "If anybody
had said to me last Wednesday week
which was only the dav before-what do
you think of having four-wheeler and
couple Of horses to call your own TO-
morrow, should have made answer. I'ts
just about as likely that shall be made
! Hemperor of China which, mind you, :"
said he, growing suddenly serious. ''would
| not have been an unnatural answer for
man at my time of life to make. since it is
not every day, by a long way. that a new
cab ard a pair of horses. and two new sets
of harnesses, falls. in manner of speak
ing, from the skies, now is it ?'' Il sup
pose you mean that they became yours in
the way of an unexpected wind fall, as it
called p They were left in cab, Sir !;
eastways, that was what you might call
the key of it," he replied. There WASH It
any romance about it. A gent, he hailed
me in the Strand, carrying a black bag.
and says he, Drive to the Angel, at Isling
tom When we got there couldH' It make
| anything of him. He was in a fit or some
thing. But being not very far off drove
him straight to st. Bartholomew 8. where
they to'k him in Insensible. There was
nothing in his pockets to show where be
lived, so that might have known where
take the black bag, and let his friends
know what haze become of him, SO took
1t over to Scotland Yard, ginin' 'em, Of
oonrse, my plumber, and my name and ad-
dress. Well sir. three days afterward l
got letter from house in Eaton square
to 60 and get a reward for the bag; and
there fond the very gent took to the
hospital, and lady as well. you did a
humane act, cabman, in taking me to Bar
tholomew's, and you probably saved my
life in fact. But may tell you that it was
perhaps as we'll that you was not aware of
the great value of what was contained in
that bag. don't say you would have
been tempted to dishonesty, he says, "but
1 have caused inquiries to be made about
you, and have ascertained you are only a
pour cab-drlver, and the opportunity for
approprlating great sum of money might
have been too much for you. I have dis
cussed with my wife the most suitable
reward to make you, said he, land you
you will find it in the news, to which q
servant shall conduct you" "What you
will find there is your own, on this con-
4 dition,' said the lady. "You know what
this means p' and she shows me bit of
riband-ths bit. swell mum, II says.
s.as understand it. we think 1t is all as
one with taking the pledge" THAT is
so,' says she. Will you promise to wear 1t
with that meaning ? You may be able to
guess, she says, why I make this condi-
ton with youp'' "And we're you able to
... V,3 WWol1 waa navor nueh NJ n