The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-12-18
THE YELLOW CAB.
Why It's Inmate Mistook It's Driver
for a Lunatic.


for Lunatic.
1t was close cab I hailed-n yellow
cab-lnd its number was 1,676. re-
member the number distinctly, and 1
will tell you how it happened that its
number and color have stuck like burrs
to my memory. When I got out of the
door of the Freema sons tavern (on
the night of February -, 1860, where
the dinner of the '.B,nevolent Supcran-
nuated N ght-Portcrs' Association" had
been held, and called close cab from
the stand, as the cabman got slowly
down from his box and opcnel the door
for me, with that natty twist and tug
peculiar to the craft, looked inside
and saw that one of the cushions was
torn nearly in half and that the foot
mat was kicked up in dirty heap in
one corner. Upon which, observing
the number 1f the cab to be 1876, and
somewhat, perhaps, exhilarated by the
benevolent Night-Portcrs' cham
pagne, 1 remarked good-naturedly that
lone might expect things to be ut skies
and sovens in cab 1,676." The cabman
growled something in return, but he
made no other an wcr.
.Vcre to, slrp" sad the cabman,
forcing tho door with great d iliculty
into its proper place, and then with all
his strength grinding down the rusty or
pbruised handle.
ITO De Beauvoir terrace, Down
ham Green. Hammersmith.
"And how many miles do you make
ita' sa d the suilen rogue again, as he
rudcly thrust his rough face in ut the
window, speaking with sour. hard
voice.
replied that l called it not quite five
"Not much less,' said the man Bit
tcrly, with growl, as he put one foot
on the step to mount to his coach-box
''And mind it's double fare, sir, after
twelve" he added, returning again to
carefully pull up both windows, and to
reopen and reslam the opposite door of
the cab. / did not like the vindictive
look he gave me as he did this; but l
said nothing, for l knew his number,
and the wine made me reckless of all
dangers, but did not know the motive
of all that care then.
"Will you go on" l cried. "with
your ramshackled cab, or I'll take an
other one-a better one."
"Ve'll go on fast enough presently"
growled the ill-conditioned fellow, with
peculiar emphasis, as he jumped up
on his seat. The horse spluttered about
for moment on the stones, struck out
spark OF two with his hoofs, and then
spranr forward. The waterman fling
= ing down his bucket, took OIL his hat
I ironically to my driver. Iheard avoce
behind us calling for ''cab, quick"
Take care how you drive that there
gentleman" cried out a policeman, and
we were oil. The lamps of Long Acre
passed us in quick procession, it seemed
hut IL minute, and we were in st. Mar
tins lane. At that instant the gusty
wind bore across the road the half-past
twelve struck by tine bell of st. Martin S
Church.
The driver, thinking of his over-fare,
turned, and tapping at the window,
with Il brutal leer, asked me if heard
''thc clock a-striking;" but 1 did not re-
ply, for l had taken strange dislike to
the man, and my only wish now was to
get as soon as possible to my own home.
and rid myself of fellow probably half
intoxicated and evidently determined to
be eXtortionate and troublesome.
BY this time it had begun to rain fast;
the mist, before wavering and wander
ing, now fell in long, lashing lines. that
beat tiercely against the cab windows,
covering them with moving surface OF
water, that rendered it impossible for
ono to see out of either glass. Tho wind,
too, beat against the cab and flew howl
drove on fast and steadily up Regent
street, where now nothing could be seen
but stray policeman covering up in q
doorway.
Through u pleasant haze the past
hours seen cd again to delilc before me-.
went through al the moments from
the time the man at tho door gave me
tho ticket for my hat to the time that !
gave II back again to the same man and
told tho waiter to call me cab from the
nearest stand l remembered all the
bows and hand-shakings OF the commit
tee-rooni, and how at last, In an irregu-
lar body, we moved into the dining hall,
marshaled by the jolly looking, portly
stewards, with blue rosettes ut her but
ton-holes, l remembered the buzz as old
Lord Foptoodle, our noble chairman,
arrived and tnok his seat. remom-
bered. too. with a smile. tho bursting
out of "Down Among tine Barley" from
the professional singers just rs tho
dessert was SGT upon the table. Then
came tho procession round the table OF
tho ''Snperannuated Night.Porters'
and tho tremendous auctioneer's blow
of tho toast masters hammer that her.
aided tho first toast. Again seemed to
near tho speeches, the insincere compli-
nents, tho ridiculous praise, and the
,cxtravagant self-laudation on the mu-
Stual-ilattery system. Again. through q