National Republican., 1884-11-06
GOOD AND nAp oMENs.
superstitions OF the Night-Liners' -
Their ohiidlike Faith i'm the signIfi-
cnMcn Of SiRna.


cance OF signs.
PhQadelphid Times.
after sailors and gamblers tho all.
night hack-drivers who prowl up and
down Chestnut street and tho cross.town
thoroughfaros from midnight until sun
rise are the most superstitious people
know" said an old detective last night.
Like tho men who follow the water,
they cannot be talked out Of their queer
ideas, and they have certain customs
which they follow out as religiously as
the most methodical man in town lives
his daily life" The night-hawk," ms he
is called, is not, as a rule savory reputa-
tion. lie has generally had some ac-
| quaintance with the police and does not
move in tho society of Jehu who drives
for a frst.class livery stable.
Very early yesterday morning two thin
horses hobbled down Chestnut street,
drawing a hack which may have been
used by some swell livery stable quar-
| ter OF century ago, but which had de-
generated into carryall for men who are
kept late at their lodge rooms. just be-
fore the horses got to Eighth street a
white cat ran across the street and dis
| appeared behind tho iron grating of
! Sharpless e. Brothers cellar. The might
hawk" saw the cat and jerked his half
starved horses nearly OF their feet as he
brought them to "A stand-stiil; then with
an old whip no lashcd them as he turned
them around aud ran them up Chestnut
street NJ q gallop. The driver looked
over his shoulder like u veritable Tam
| O'Shanter watching for tho witches.
| When no got to Ninth street he turned
north aud kept up tho run until Market
street was reached.
A cat crossing In front of might
hawks" "outtiU is considered bad enough
luck to dwarf the nights business; but
white cat means utter decentralization for
tho night. Some "hawks" Immediately
begin TO drink, in order that they may
forget the apparition of the white cat,
and when "night-hawk" Is visited with
the deirium tremens bo does not see
snakes, like the ordinary sufferer, but
hundreds Of white cats crowd before his
vision.
A driver of an all-night hack never puts
his left foot on the wheel first on getting
upon the box he thinks IL bad luck, and
nothing can induce him to open the door
of his cab or carriage with his left hand.
If shoe becomes loose on ono of his
horses feet that's u bad omen aud causes
tho driver to believe that some bad luck
Is IN store Tor hlm' Whon the moon IS
shining brightly and big cloud suddenly
hides 1t from view and causes darkness 10
settle ON the streets the "hawk' grows
suspicious. He is u great coward as n
rule-more afraid, though, of shadow
than he is of the substance. If the pas
songer happens to bo n drdnken man
with q toru umbrella that is considered
good luck and a sign that rain will be
plentiful and make business good.
Night.hawks do not like 10 hear of fires
The presence of fire engine on Chestnut
street causes them to think of calamity.
Some of them won't eat during the night,
for fear it will change their luck, but they
never refuse drink. The lighted stump
of a cigar picked up after ii has beon
thrown away by well.dressed man
and quickly smoked is thought to bring
good luck.
All the Jehus who are only seen on tho
streets ut night are great policy players.
If they 70 lucky they may make five
dollar bill, but by the time the horses