Daily Yellowstone journal., 1889-10-13
HE WAS TOO HoGGIsH.
Teaching a London Cabby That All Ameri-
cans Are Not Easy Marks"

cans Are Not Easy Marks"
The hanson cab is a London insti-
tuition; at any rate, IL is in London
seen at its highest state of perfection.
Long acquaintance has established
custom which has crystallized into
exact regulation by which every Lon
don ''cabby" is bound. Most of the
ichus of that town rent their rigs
cab ahd horSe-from companies. They
must pay SO much a day TO these com.
panIes, no matter what their own luck
may be in capturing fares" This
sum Is generally a soyereign-say IS
a day. On bad days, therefore, and
on all days for that matter, there is
the strongest temptation for cabby to
rob his passengers. He has perhaps
not cvolutcd beyond the moral stage
where robbery is possible. But he is
always restrained by the mlcs-the
laws of the police-which name a Ger.
tain price for a certain distance. And
every London nan knows these rules.
lie knows how far he may ride for a
shilling. and how much farther for a
sixpence. And if there is one creature
on earth who is in the habit of main.
tanning his rights against the demands
Of eXtortion 1t is the London man. In
ease OF dispute there is always the pc.
liceman. who, in contradistinction
from the New York policeman, always
decides with, instead of aga. isl, the
respectable citizca
Ii is only whcr foreigner-and es.
pecially an Amt can-comes 10 Lon.
don that the Lon.on cabby pricks up
his ears. The American is known
abroad rs the easy mark for extor.
ton. Princess, Americans and fools"
SO the European saying goes-are
guilty Of all the eXtravaglnces. They
overiee walters, overpay cabmen and
ride in first class railway carriages,
while sensible Europeans looks on in
wonder aud disgust. An American
a Chicago man-tells of an experience
which he had in London. He took a
cab with Il friend from his lodging
house in Bloomsbury TO q theatre in
Piccadilly Circus. The fare-which
is the same for two persons as for one
was rightfully eighteen pence. But
the American, with that fool gcneros-
ity which distinguishes the American
abroad, gave the cabman two shil.
lings The fellow knew at once that
his passenger was an Amcrican-no
EngiishmIn would have been guilty
of such an ndiscretion-and seeing
another siSpence in prospect, began to
clampr for half a crown.
what did ! give your demanded
the American.
only two bob, sir" said cabby,
''and tic fares to-and-siX sir, 50 'elp
me Gawd. sir"
Give me back the two bob, said
the American.
Cabby, expecting hal his demands
were to be acquiesccd in. handed over
the coiu The American thereupun
went down into his pocket and Gsled
out a shilling and a ~siXpenoc."
Here. b" said. handing the money
u the ~cabnan, there is your proper
Iagg.
Jchu looked u~nuttcrable things, but.
ihuLng his customer firm and apUlicc.
man nea at hand, pockcted the one.
and-S.H, together with his alleged
grievance, and drove away.
So it will be in Chicago when the
mnu w.Ao uses cabs learns his rights
and knows bow 10 enforce them.
There will be some unpleasantness for
the pioneers in the good fight, but
there is glory awaiting the men who
will make the first light Chicago
Herald.