Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-01
aACKMEN,S sUPERsTzTIoNS.
Philadelphia Night HAWKS who Be
iievc Firmly in Luck.

rom the Philadelphia Times.
AFTER sailors and gamblers. the all-night
hack drivers are the most superstitious people l
know" said an old detective last night. alike
the men who follow the water. they cannot be
talked out OF their queer ideas. and they have
certain customs which they follow out as relig
iously as the most methodical man in town lives
/ his daily life" The might hawk" as he is
called, is not as rule OF sa3ory reputation. He
/ has generally had some acquaintance with the
police. and does not move in the society of the
Jehu who drives for first-class livery stable.
/ Very early yesterday morning two thin horses
hoGbled down Chestnut street, drawing hack.
| Just before the horses got to Sth street q white
cat ran across the street and disappeared behind
/ the iron grating. The might hawk" saw the
Cat aud jerked his hais-starved horses nearly OF
/ their feet as he brought them to stapdstili:
then with an old whip nc dashed them as he
| turned them around and ran them I'D Chestnut
street at a galtOp. The driver looked over his
shoulder like veritable Tam O'Shauter watch
ing for the witches. When he got to 9th street
he turned north and kept up the run until Mar
ket street YVES reached.
cat crossing in front Of might hawks
"outht is considered bad enough luck to dwarf
the nights business. bnt white cat 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 might hawk" is visited with
| the delirum tremens he does not see snakes.
| like the ordinary sufferer but hundreds OF
white cats crowd before his vision.
| driver OF an ali-night hack never puts his
left foot on the wheel first on getting upon the
| box; he thinks it bad luck, and nothing can in
duce him to open the door of his cab or carriage
with his LETT hand. Ii shoe becomes loose on
/ one OF his horses feet that's q bad omen. and
causes 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 "a a ruie-more afraid. though OF q
shadow than he is of the substance. If the pas
sanger happens TO be drunken man with a
/ tom umbrella that is considered good luck aud
sign that rain will be plentiful and make Dusi-
ness 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 d
/ drink The lighted stump of cigar picked up
after it has been thrown away by a well-dressed
man and quickly smoked, is thought to bring
| good luck.
All the Je:us who are only seen the streets
at night are great policy players. If they are
lucky they NAV make a fye-do,lar BILL out by
the time the horses scant feed lie bought and
the policy slips are paid for there is not much
| lett. and the rag-tag haCkmen 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 carryan actor
or actress free. believing that the profession are
harbiugers of good fortune. If gas lamp Is
blown out on stormy night the Jehu will stop.
| get off hts box, and take the trouble to ignite
the escaping gas, believing that il is not rood
policy to pass in the darkness. They have a
| great dread of car horses without bells. and
never like to see colored man with white hat
on. Some of them believe that they have to
turn their horses certain number Of times in a
| night before they will catch a Gus toner and q
great many of them believe that if they are not
lucky at policy they will be unlucky on the
| street that night