, 1889-10-18
He WAS 100 hoeelsH.
Teaching n London Csbby Thai All Ameri-
cans Arc Not Easy Marks"

Teaching n London Csbby That All Ameri-
cans Arc Not Easy Marks"
The hanson cab is n London insti-
tuition; at any rate, il is in London
seen at its highest state of perfection.
Long acquaintance has established
custom which has crystailized into
exact regulation by which every Lon
don ''cabby" is bound. Most of the
Jehus 81 that town rent their rigs
a and h~orse-from companies. They
must pay so much a day TO these com.
psnies, no matter what their own luck
may be in capturing fares This
sum is generally a sovereign-say IS
a day. On bad days, therefore, and
on all days for hat matter, there is
the strongest temptation for cabby TO
rob his passengers. He has perhaps
not evoluted beyond the moral stage
where robbery is possible. But he is
always restrained by the rules-the
laws of the police-which name a GER
tain price for a certain distance. And
every London man knows these rules.
He knows how far he may ride for a
shilling, and how much farther for a
sixpence. And if there is one creature
OF earth who is in the habit Of main
tanning his rights against the demands
OF extortion 1t is the London man. In
case OF dispute there is always the po-
licemsn, who, in contradistinction
from the New York policeman, always
decides with, instead Of against, the
respectable citizen.
IL IS only when n foreigner-and es-
pecially an American-comes TO Lon
don that the London cabby pricks up
his ears. The American is known
abroad as the easy mark" for extor-
ton. Princess, Americans and fools"
so the European saying goes-are
guilty OF all the extravagances. They
overfee walters, overpay cabmen and
n III first class railway carriages.
while sensible Europeans looks on in
wonder and disgust An American
a Chicago man-tells OF an experience
which he had in London. He took a
cab with a friend from his lodging
house in Bloomsbury 10 a 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 generos-
ity which distinguishes the American
abroad, gave the cabman two shil-
lings, The fellow knew at once that
his passenger was an ~American-no
Englishman would have been guilty
OF such an indiscretion-and seeing
another sixpence in prospect, began 10
clamor for half a crown.
What did | give your" demanded
the American.
Only two bob. sir" said cabby,
and the fares to-and-six sir, so 'eip
me Gawd, sir"
Give me back the two bob, said
the American.
Cabby, expecting that his demands
were to be acquiesced in, handed over
the coin. The American thereupon
wentd down into his pocket and fshed
out a shilling and a sixpence."
Here, he said, handing the money
TO the cabman. here is your proper
fire"
Jehu looked unutterIble things, but.
finding his customer firm and a police
man near at hand, pocketed the one
and-six, together with his alleged
grievance, and drove away.
SO II will be in Chicago when the
man who uses cabs learns his rights
and knows how to enforce them.
There will be some u-npleasantness for
the pioneers in the good fight, but
there is glory awaiting the men who
will make the first fight Chicago
Herald.