Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-02-26

did not WISH To undergo the critical exam
instion of the hall porter, wl.O might not
have been put off SO easily
At this moment | observed crimson
glow in the sky, which was clearly caused
BY some Conl'agratiOn. but evidently al
very considerable dist ,nCc Nolwith
standing u man almost insisted on nv
driving HIM to the scene Of the fire. no
matter what might bc he distance This
| declined To do alleging that nv horse
was tired, and, after vollev of obiurga
tionS, the fellow departed making some
strong remarks about the independen, e
of Cabmen and their large earnings. Up
10 this time. | had not earned the amount
Of the hire of the horse and cab Whether
my experience on this point was special ol
normal, | am unable To- Judge. but COul
easily picture the despair of a Cabm
who in similar circumstances would have
but gloomy outlook fof the morrow
True, there were several hours re-
naming, and it was IMPOSSIBLE
to tell what they might produce
The aspect of a mighty. slumbering
city at early dawn is remarkable spec
taCle The line of " OrdSworth invoiun.
tarily REQUIRED 10 me.
And all that mighty heart is lying still "
London at sunrise was by no means
novel sight to one who hsf kept early
hours for several years but | do not
think | was ever so impressed with the
sight as | was when perChed on that ele-
waited seat at the back of hansOm cab
The first faint streaks of red in the dis
tsnt east. succeeded by pale primrose
light. and then the gradual dispersal of
the midnight gloom was ineXpressihly
lovely. The scenes had witnessed had
aroused Ger ain trains of tho Ight more
or less painful. rs beheld the varied for
tunes of my fellow creatures the struggle
for bare existence, the sins and follies
created in great measure by iron cir
CumStanCeS
With the history of my final fare I must
conclude this veritable account of my cx-
perienCc AS cab driver. Ii was exactly
a quarter TO &, and | was crawling along
iOlbOrn, when man of gentlemaulv AZ
pearanCe and address emerged rapidly
from side street and springing into my
cab, said, Cabman-Nictoria II YOU
can catch the o'clock train for New
haven. will pay you double fare
! glanced at the church clock, and
found | had exactly quarter Of an hour
to accomplish a distance of nearly three
miles Fortunately, the streets were com
parativeIy empty and | sent the mare
along at a pace of something like twelve
miles an hour. Although had only seen
the face Of my fare for couple of sec.
ondS. the expression and features are in
irlibly impressed on my memory. 1t was
a handsome face, but the vcs were more
Ike those of a hunted stag than of a
human being. The color of the face was
sShen gray. and fancied the teeth chat
cred somewhat as he addressed me But
The last Circumstance | attributed 10 the
rOld. raw October morning fe't so curl
Gus about my fare that cautiously lifted
the small wooden lap in the roof
of the cab. and felt almost pleased
to behold him imbibing brand
from a flask One or two police
men pecrcd AT the cab as it flew past sp-
parentlv undecided whether or not to take
CogniZanCe of the excessive speed but |
cared not. felt as anxious 10 catch the
train for Newhaven AS If my life depended
on IT, At length | sighted iCtOria station
The minute. hand wanted two minutes to
8. Passing half sovereign through the
trap, M fare shouted. Never mind the
change and sprung o Il Of the cab
Involuntary. | paused TO watch the
end of the affair | saw him leave the pay
box with the ticket. and then in half
and congratulated myself on having ac
cumplished my task Ere | could drive
from the entrance of tie hooking, office an
other hanson deposited two MN, who
simultaneously rushed to the Oking
@ &C. The horse of the cab was covered
with lafh"r, and seemed com
petclv blown The men ap.
prared a-aiu on the pavement with
'eAation and d appointment plainly writ
ten on their features. Suddenly their
eyes lighted on the cab which ! drove
They advanced. and the shorter man of
Ihe TWO said "Cahmsn. We are police
officers. Have you Just brought any one
who was anxious TO catch the O'Clock
express"
had felt certain that they were officers
of usticc How is it that policemen out
Of uniform and servants out of livery are
always diStinguiShahle? There is a hall
mark. so to say. which stamps them |
stated all knew. which, As the reader
knows, was not much Then they left
me. Whether they utilized the telegraph
for the arrest OF the unhappy fugitive-a
fOrgcr. aS they told mc-l never knew
examined my takings, aid fourd they
amounted to pound shillings making
profit of : shillingS But II is not the
luck of every cahman to have a a fare a
runaway forger who will pay so literally
rs 10 shilllingS for three miles.
Mr. smith was quite satisfied with the
result. and expressed his willingness TO
end his horse and cab again en- similar
terms But this was my first and last
cabd drive cannot explain it, but that
night was a turning point in my career
married soon afterwari. and not e;en the
wife Of nv bosom is aware that. her hus
band once uftciated in the character Of
OudUn Cab-drivcr,