Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1884-12-11
Hackmen's Supersti,ions.


After sailors and gamblers the all-night
hack drivers are the most superstitiOus
people | know" said an old detective last
night. Like the men who follow the water,
they canno, be talked out Of their queer
ideas, and they have certain customs which
they follow out as religiously as the most
methodcal man in town lives his daily life
The might hawk" as he is called. is not as
rule Of savory reputation. He has generally
had some acquaintance with the police, and
does not move in the society Of the
Jehu who drives for a tirstcas livery
stable.
Very eaiy Yesterday morning two thin
horses hobbled down Chestnut, drawing a
hack. Just before the horses got TO Eighth
street a white cat ran across the street and
disappeared behind the iron grating. The
might hawk" saw the cat and lerked his
half-starved horses nearly off their feet as he
brought them TO standstill 4; then
with an old whip he lashed them as he turn
ed them around and ran them up Chestnut
street at a gailop. The driver looked over
his shoulder like yer.table Tam O'Shanter
watching for the witches. When he got to
Ninth street he turned north and kept up the
A cat walking in front of a might hawks"
'.outfit" is considered bad enough luck to
dwarf the nights business, but white ca,
means utter decentralization for the night
Some ''hawks" Immediately begin to drink
in order that they may forget the apparition
of the white cat, and when a might hawk"
is visited with the deirum tremens he does
not see snakes, like the ordinary sufferer,
L 4 4 l. -. L r.
vision.
A driver of an all-night hack never puts
his left foot on the wheel first on getting up
on the box; he thinks it bad luck, and
nothing can induce him to open the door of
his cab or carriage with his left hand. If a
shoe becomes loose on one of his horses
feet that's a bad omen and causing the driver
to believe that some bad luck is in store for
him. When the moon is shining brightly,
and big cloud suddenly hides it from view,
and causes darkness to settle on the streets
the 'hawk" grows suspicious. He is great
coward as a rule-more afraid, though, Of a
shadow than he is of the substance. If the
passenger happens to be a drunken man
with torn umbrella, that is considered good
luck, and sign that rain will be plentiful
and make business good.
Night hawks do not like to 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 it has been thrown
away by a well-dressed man aud quickly
smoked is thought to bring good luck.
All the Jehus who are only seen on the
streets at night, are great policy players. If
they are lucky they may make five dollar
bill, but BY the time the horses scant feed is
bought and the policy slips are paid for there
is not much left, and the rag-tag hsckman
of the wee small hours comes back under
cover Of darkness the next night just as poor
as ever.
The majority Of them will gladly carry an
actor of an actress free, believing that the
professions are harbingers Of good fortune.
If gas lamp is blown out on stormy night
the Jehu will stop. get of his box and take
the trouble to ignite the escaping gas, be-
lieving that it is not good policy TO pass in
the darkness. They have great dread Of
car horses without bells. and never lik to
see q colored man with a white hat n.
Some Of them believe that they have to turn
their horses certain number of times in q
night before they will catch q customer. and
a great many Of them believe that if they are
not lucky at policy they will be unlucky on
the street that night.