Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1885-11-20
AN AMATEUR !" CABBY. :

going, tax,paying members of the com
munity. My personal allowance being
considerable, | was able to indulge In all
the follies of man about town. For
tunately or unfortunately, soon probed
to the bottom of things, and speedily
tasted the ashes in the cup of pleasure, SO
that one folly after another was discarded
and reegated to the limbo of the past,
until. like Heliogabalus, / sighed for
new delight and would have paid literally
for q fresh sensation The turf and its
wretched gambling associations palled
upon me; was weary of the theatre,
both before and behind the curtain. The
senseless chatter of my young associates
in the club smoking room reused feel
ing of boredom almost intolerable At
this period, the great cab question was the
| topic of the hour The character and re-
muneration of the London cabman were
| discussed at every dinner-tablc in the
metropolis. There were two parties in
| this discussion. which advocated views to-
| tally opposed to each other. On the one
| hand, the earnings of Cabby were de-
| scribed as wealth; on the other as pow
erty He was portrayed as drunken, ex-
| travagant, uncivil, and, in fact, as only fit
to be the associate of the most vile. The
| reverse side of the medal was that of
man sober, frugal, civil, and SO courteous
| in his intercourse with his fares that the
late Lord Chesterfield might have taken
lessons of i m in politeness.
A sudden determination possessed me.
/ would be cabman for the nonce. At
all events, for twelve hours would don
the badge and learn for myself the truth
of the matter. frequently employed the
same cabman on the rank in Piccadilly.
He drove thoroughbred mare, and his
hansom was model of neatness and ele-
gance. So / took an early opportunity of
interviewing the man, whose name was
Smith; although in those days interview "
was not classed as an active verb. told
him wished to hire his cab for the night.
At first Mr.. Smith was haZy as to my
meaning I asked him how much he
paid for the hire of his vehicle. lie re-
piled, Seventeen shillings per night
Very well. said: Il will give you
that sum for the use of your cab for
twelve hours, and hand you over, besides,
the amount in fares | may chance to re-
ceive during that period.
could see that my friend entertained
doubts for moment as to my sanity; but
l speedily explained matters to him Mr..
Smith shook his head, and said that he
might lose his license if the fact bccam,
known to the police that he had lent hi:
badge. and so on and that an intimate
knowledge of London streets was indis
pensable,
pooh-poohcd both these objections. es
pecially the last, asserting that was capa
BILE of making map of western London
if circumstances required it. Eventually
| Mr.. Smith agreed to my proposal, giving
me several hints as to my conduct; | re-
| member one of these being. that musI
e on no account apply for hire, as 1t is
termed, while driving through the streeta
e but wait till was hailed.
The eventful hour arrived in dui
course, and at o'clock met Mr.. Smitl
by appointment In quiet street In th,
parish of St James. 1t was October; ant
the night being chilly, wore an over
coat somewhat the worse for wear. and |
wide-awake which could slouch owe
my eyes, if occasion required; for m,
chief fear was, that / might, by an un
q lucky chance, be recognized by setne o
my numerous acquaintance. mounted
the box, and nodding gayly to Mr.. Smith
left that individual transfixed with wonde
that gentleman of means and position
should voluntarily undergo the pains AM
penalties of a cabmans life. even for s
brief period as twelve hours,
have stated that the mare was a thor
oughbred, and in doing so | am only re
cording O literal fact. In the famou
days when Andrew Ducrow reigned ST.
9 preme at Astley's theatre, there was yer
popular drama which depicted the life @
a racehorse through all its vicissitudes
till it found itself in the shafts of sand
cart. There is all undoubted instance Q
O horse BLACK Tommy, 1850 which onl
lost the Derby by short head, fgurin
subsequently in the shafts of cab
Camden Town.
For time imagined that was I'll
center of observation, especially by th
cabmen on the ranks. Suddenly We
Il hailed by short, thick set man with
very red face, who in an imperious tor
, shouted "Orme square" and plunged int
the recesses of my cab. l ws
foored completely! My boaste
knowledge Of the topography {
the metropolis was at fault / he
never heard of Orme square. vel
tured TO ask my fare if hc could direct n
to the Place His surprise and indign
tion were so excessive that feared Cor
moment he would succumb to .,.t Of ap
plexy. But he relieved himself by bur
:" of strong Ian guagc such as had rare
listened to in my life before Ny fir
I'D impulse was an angry reply, but fortu
ately nipped that impulse in the bu
The line of Jerrold the dramatist occu
\. red to me: "A rich man feels throu!
his glove, and thinks all things are soft
For the first time | realized what ca
man has occasionally to submit to, al
n and what Janus headed thil
Y society was in its intcrcouI
y with the rich and the poor. b
J it is remarkable fact that although Orr
square is situated in the Bayswater roa
Immediately opposite Kensington garden
7 in tan dafinn
cality 1t is small, unpretending squa
; with three sides only, the fourth side
ing the great thoroughfare l have me
. toned. / excused my ignorance by Sc
ing that was new to the neighborhoo
IN AS drove along, placed my cxperien
9. to the credit of the much abused cabt
/ received my exact fare, for which |
litely thanked my irritable friend, fol
was resolved to do nothing to increase
prejudice existing in so many quartz
against my brother cabmen, but pract
civility under all temptations to the CT
trary.
l suppose il was about o'clock, ant
was proceeding leisurely along 0xfo
street, the stony hearted stepnlothel
rs De Quincy styles 1t :
his immortal work, lmiring the Ell
of the long vista of gas lamps in the
serted street, when | heard woma
voice: Are you going Pimlico way7"
turned, and beheld two young girls.
gaudy finery and painted cheeks.
replied that my services were at their {
posal suppose there was something
the words and manner of my ansV
which created surprise In their min
for they stared curiously in my Fl
before jumping into the cab.
In few seconds was ca2eering alt
at the rate of ten miles an hour. Whi
situation for the son of the mu
esteemed rector of Cawley- cum Nc