Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-07-04
ASLEEP ON THE BOX.
The Interesting Experience Of an
Empire City Jehu.
lie Tells About . PerilOus Ride which
He Gave Four CoDgressmen-A
Pleasant Reminder OF
Sunset Cox.

sunset Cox
Eyes, there's good deal of knack
IN drivin' a hack through the streets of
a crowded city"
II was my friend the Jehu who ad
mitted the soft impeachment as we
tackled down Broadway, says writer
in the New York Herald. The carriage
was one Of the Fifth Avenue hotel rigs,
and was the latest thing out of the var
nish shop apparently. but with a pre-
cision born of long practice and an ease
which the elder Weller could not have
surpassed in his palmiest days the
.irivcr succeeded in Just missing wheels
on every hand
you see, It kinder gifts to be second
natur to miss a wheel" he said ut
amt so much the eye nor yet the touch.
as it's instinct. believe could drive
rom here to the battery. barrin' the
holes and bitches of the pavement rip
pers. with binders on and not touch
wheel Why, bless you sir, I've walked
up more nor once and found was driv-
in in my sleep. Oh, that amt no soak.
though it does sound like it perhaps
81 remember once when my little
jimmy was sick with the scarlet fever.
Hc Olu WOLudh w % ROOAAJp anu oeSS
up with the gal every minute | could
get off. We was pressed for work, too,
for it was in the presidential canvass
an the bigbugs was comm an goin'
on every train. So had to keep to the
box when otherwise could have took
day, or may like a week off.
"Well, sir. one night, when was
clean done up with watchin' and driv-
in, had an order to take four con-
gressmen to the Cortlandt street ferry
to the limited had these same
horses-onsteady nags, but as good q
pair as you will find in any gentleman's
stable, and fellows as knows the way
| as we'll as do myself, and I've been
drivin' it for fifteen year.
at was Friday afternoon, and the
way was pretty sure TO be full Of
trucks, yet we started pretty late too.
The passengers was nervous, and one
| of emit was old Sunset Cox, rest his
soul-who knew me well, says: Put
her through, Jerry, an there's two dol
lars extra waitin' for You
"'All right, Mr.. Cox says /, you'll
be there, never fear
~ give old Billy there cut which he
understood meant time an away we
went. had 'em well in hand, and it
only required touch to keep 'em on
the alert, though do believe they knew
as much about steering this here vehi-
Gle as myself Then ! got to thinkin'
about little jimmy and wonderin' if the
doctor was goin' to pull her through.
The next thing | knew, sir, | didn't
know nothin'. / was fast asleep. An
we goin' Hckety split down Broadway,
and that street half jammedl 1t makes
nae sweat now to think of It'll
Suddenly felt something Juggling
ut my coat tails. and pulled in. It was
Mr.. Cox, who wanted me to stop for
| something. We were in front of the
post office. He had a quick eye, and he
says, gettin' as pale as a ghost: My
God, man, you were asleepF
| II owned up the corn at once, though
It was done so low the other passengers
did not hear a word, and l told him the
reason, an how | had been settin' ur
nights with my girl jimmy,
Don't say a word says he, an6
upon my soul, sir, see tear in his eye
when we reached the ferry: Here's
your furc,' says he, no changer an he
walked quickly into the ferry-house.
spread out the bill, which was all in 6
wudge, an what do you think, sir? Il
were a twentyl That were the sort o.
man Sunset Cox was. No wonder thai
he did not get rich in congress.
"Yes, sir, had druv all the way
down to Park place in my sleep, an if
had been wide-awake, with forty eyes
to keep on the trucks and wagons,
couldn't have done it slicker. Nothing
like habit, now tell you'll
who, jimmy? Oh, she's all right, an
us slick gal as you'd like to see. She's
in the second grade, grammar, an she.
goin' to the normal and to make 4
teacher-that is if some young fellow
don't snap her up for wife before
There is danger of that, too, for shes
mighty handsome-looks like her dad
Ell! Thank you, siri Yes, don't mine
a smoke now and then, If it's a rea
mod oY1a