Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-12-25
HIM ON A CAB,

ia It was an abominably wet day. You
know what that means in London-cab-
drivers millennium, little mudpie makers
Elysian fields, despair and petticoat ruin
to fair pedestrians! Mrs. Lancaster stood
under the shelter of a fashionable modiste's
door, looked forth and groaned. No nam
som in sight: ruin to her clothes stared her
in the face if she sailed out; ruin to her
purse whispered to her behind should she
enter the shop again.
"The dispensation of gain is not in Prov
idence diocese was her irreverent sum-
ming up. "He'd make it rain at the proper
times or OF No Mans Land, if it were. Oh,
darling!" she murmured under her breath,
for a hanson bore in sight, looming,
Whistlerishly, hazily wet. A slashing.
golden bay between the shafts and a civil
Jehu perched up behind.
Out went her umbrella and she tucked
up her frills. She signaled; he drew up
and she dashed out. The man, careful fell
low, had closed the doors and let down the
window. An agonized endeavor to pen
door, balance umbrella, rescue skirts from
mud and save new bonnet ensued He saw
that, and with unusual, uncabbylike cour-
tesy, jumped down, saying:
"Allow me-"
The lady gave a little scream.
"Tom! you driving a hansom?"
"No worse than driving my coach, is it,
Mrs. Lancaster?" he retorted.
ooh! Tom, dear, what on earth are you
doing it for?" Then, with a h%ighhanded
attempt at dignity: "Might I ask the rea-
son for this new and extraordinary meter.
Is it for a bet?"
IA bet? Oh, dear, no!' A distinct
pause. '"That bonnet of yours is getting
rather the worst of it; it's a pity, for it's
rather a nice one," he added, cycling it
critically, as one who knows the ways and
means of bonnets, or rather the ways of
the bonnets and the means of those who
can afford such "a one as he saw before him.
He eyed it critically, though not feeling
nearly so cool as he was anxious to make
her believe.
81 "Oh! what does that matter?" she snap
ped out. "Be so good as not to make per-
sonal remarks. l shall spoil as many bon-
nets as I choose, "with glaring independ-
ence.
"H'm! you always used to do So" glow
ering down at her.
d you refuse, then, to drive me?" she
faltered. There wasn't another cab in
sight.
n "Oh, dear, mol When a mans poor, and
has to earn his living by the sweat of his
brow, he is likely to find the latter more
plentiful than the former; so l am only too
glad to get what fares l can" He gloated
wickedly, for she looked up in his face
while a mist gathered and grew in his
eyes, and she gave a little sob.
"Oh, Tom, dear Tom," she whispered,
II never knew it was so bad as this"
"Didn't ynu?" he answered. with brutal
unsympathy for her sympathy with him
in his altered circumstance. Then he
banged open the door, raised the window,
and stood by her in an attitude of calm
impatience.
She gave another imploring glance. He
was cycling his noble beasts headquarters,
his mouth punched up in an audible whis-
tie. "Colonia never could stand in the
rain" he said re1ectively, as if taking her
y into his confidence.
Mrs. Lancaster sighed and stepped into
the hanson.
y "By Jovel She's got the same clipping
q little feet and ankles" was Toms MUIR
muir. He need not nave been so surprised.
Women do extraordinary things, incredi.
BILE and hair curling in the eyes Of men;
but-their feet don't wear out and they do
not invest in new ones.
She settled herself in a corner of the cab,
with another sigh and a furtive glance at
the looking glass to her left, while the
driver mounted behind and slowly gath
cred up the reins. He banged down the
window and slapped open the little trap
door overhead with professional noise, and
then, "Where tor" with professional brew
n ity.
"Home, please, if you don't mind" said
his fare meekly.
As they drove down Bond street, Mrs.
Lancaster's eyes being shut off from out
ward sights, she turned them inward and
viewed her whirling thoughts.
4 "'What u story this would make if any
one only knew, or if l only had the pen of
q ready writer. It's really quite a pity
that my gift all run to seed in correspond
" ence. Let me see:
ss$tsMrs. Lancaster, happy girl, married to
VI the match of the season-well, she was the
beauty of the season, SO why should she
not do so?-amiable, rich and handsome.
The menage goes swimmingly for three
years; then Mr.. Lancaster takes to plung-
Ing heayily-a regular jubilee plunger.
4 Wife's entreaties of no avail. Then Mr..
Lancaster (oh. Tomb takes to plunging in
the direction of a Signora Sorelia, and Mrs.
v Lancaster refuses to entreat or forgive.
BI1 IS, 1 Qafe say l was q OIL naSGy,' Is mrs.
y Lancaster's half murmured reverie today.
Separation on the tapis; nine days wonder
n lbut the separation lasts longer). Heigh-
ho!5 and now Mrs. Lancasteris being driven
down Bond street in a hanson, her hus-
u band occupying the lofty position of driver
b behind.
Poor darling, how wet he must be get
ting up there!"
WAS a block inst nj, the corner as
They turned into Piccadilly. Mrs. Lam
caster prof1ted by the occasion. She took
her umbrella and pushed up the skylight.
ga5 II was Immediately opened.
M w. Lancaster looked DOWN. Mrs. Ian.
caster lookedn 4s, E