New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-24
WALKING TO THE BOTS.
FARISIANS FIND THE CABMEN'S STRlhI
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND TIE
PASSION PLAY.

/
latter arraycd in the lghtest and cooles' d'ulc'
During the afternoon the shady places under U'r
awnings outside the fashionable cafes arc uro"e'u
with men who sit lazily slipping iced BEVERAGES an"
to judge by appearances one would l"'siuo "'
instead of being only at Easter we were on '''
eve of the Grand Prx. While Paris Is mus
basking in sunlight rain and even snow are IT,
rorted from other parts Of France as well as
from England. Germany, Spain and even uie
| south of Italy.
Under the circumstances the people mere arc
| beginning to feel more seriously than hitherto 'nc
effects of the great cab strike which has been III
J progress for some time. and which now Sre"'iS
| nterleres with their means OF reaching the BoS.
The Paris cabman is an altogether peculiar lhui-
vidual. entirely unlike the men Of his calling IN
other great cities. There are $4,000 oi them
| here and strange TO relate, they are mostly wei
| cducoted mon who have seen better days. Occa-
! sionallv broken down noblemen, such az the MAI
| ouis Trcqain dc 1reguillec and the Conite de
| (hcvronay who belonged TO the most ancient
families of Brittany and Savoy respectively, To-
pcther with disgnced schoolmasters, ruined tFaIeS-
men and considerable number OF Germans VINO
describe themselves as Alsatians, but who II the
| trntb be told. form part of Emperor Williams
! Landwehr," arc to be found on the " rank. Ill
| fact there is hardly Paris cabman who has not
drifted, or rather sunk, into his present proleS'
sion from some higher calling
Hence it happens that the astonished traveller
is often dumbfounded by tie correct and elegant
manner in which his caJby renders the transla-
tion of the Latin Inscriptions the public buill-
ings and churches, or interlards hs witty and
Intelligent remarks with an apt Greek quotation
| The knighthood OF the whip seems to have y
very lcveling tendency on the opinions, character
and also on the personal appearance Of It's niem-
beers. For as far AZ my experience goes, have
found that they all have red, weather-Deatan
faces, small twinkling eyes, ruby-coored nose,
short side-whskers and = remarkably wel-lilleh
waistcoat Tie tint Of their politics is in keep
| ing with that Of their noses, and they all profess
"a radioalsm which amounts almost 10 downright
communism They are the sworn enemies OF the
| inofensiye Partisan bourgeois, with whom they
are at perpetual and bitter warfare on the, to
them vital subject Of pourboires. Given the
| bourgcoss inherent love OF economy, tins state
Of things is nothing surprising, for whereas he
seeks to give as little al possible. the disgnsed
.Tchu." whose main source OF revenue consists Of
TIPS is increasingly on the alert to obtain what
he considers 10 more than his due.
The cabmcn are obliged to pay sum Of six
teen francs per dem TO the compauy-from which
they receive no remuneration-for the use OF their
cabs and horses and they are entirely dependent
on what they are able 20 make over and above
! the amount which is due to the said company
! As the rates are thirty cents for drive from
any one point TO another within the city
boundaries, or forty cents per hour II hired on
time" il is easy to see that the poor cabby Is
forced TO rely entirely upon the generosity OF his
clients for daily bread. four 10 six cents
pourboire is the ordinary amount demanded and
received by the drivers per fare but at that rate
| one cannot expect to obtain the goodwill OF the
gentleman in question; whereas the promise OF
one frame tip is sufficient 10 insure bis delicate
attentions not TO mention an almost rapid transit.
Five francs pourOorc secure reckless ana alarm
ing pace aud the mos, distinguished consdera-
ton of The Cognou' | ought to say here by
way OF explanation that Colignon was the name of
Il cabman who was guilloLned during the reign
OF Napoleon III. for numbering and robbing
number of his fares at night in the deserted BY
streets Of the city, and in the dark side-avenues OF
the Bots Since his execution the appellation Of
| Colignon" has been used by the bourgeois
the greatest term OF opprobrum which he could
apply 10 hi, arch enemy, the clbdrver.
The most ancctionate relations exist between
! "cabby" and his horse. who is generally well fed
! and well cared for, and nothing is more amusing
than 10 listen to the feu-rouant of remarks and
10 The long speeches which the cocher sometimes
|
20 witness the tenderness with which the latter
rubs his nose against his masters shoulder on being
| told We are going home now, old fellow"
| regret 10 be- forced TO add that cabby" is n
rule q shockingy bad driver, who pcrsistently and
| etnbborny ignores all rules of the road and de-
| LIGHTS i'm crushing crossings and closely shay
ing" curtsoue- corners at breakneclI speed and in
a fashion absolutely appalling 10 his unfortunate
client All accidents 10 persons or horses injured
| by his carccssncss being covered by an insurance
association ad hoe which takes the matter of
damages and pccnnary penalties OIL his shoulders,
Colignon@ docs not care IN the least ii accidents
happen. and any observation on his imprudcnt he
huyior made by hs clients brings about so amazing
an amount of had language from the offended
"cabbyT that the best plan is 10 trust 10 an all
mcrciful Providence and to let the red waistcoated
tyrant act according TO his own sweet will.
NJ Moreau-C haslon the president of the Com
pany of Paris Omnibuscs, has just been arrested in
London for embezllng the funds couilded to his
care, ind is to be- brought back here II appears.
however. that he is suffering from temporary in
sanity, for il has been found that he devoted the
money thus obtained 10 charitable purposes. The
whole affair is all the more surprising Ms VI
Morcau-C haslon is a most respected member of
society. an intimate friend OF Alexander Dumas
Geromc. and other men above reproach and. until
his flight 10 England, he WIS believed by all to be
more than scrupulously honest man.
The attitude of the clergy with regard 10 the
French adaptation Of the Passion Play has under
gone a considerable modification since last year.
which may bc regarded a tribute to the increase
OF religious spirit among the population Strange
AZ it may appear, Paris society has of late taken a
lively interest in spcctaclcs which eXhale vague
perfume Of mysticism or of simple piety and the
public Is becoming fond OF pious dramas, mysteries
and vcrsiicd legends accompanied by sOul-inspir-
ING music which, few years ago. would have bored
it prodigiously. When Nine. Sarah Bcrnhardt
last year decided to appear at the Theatre Of the
Porte Saint-Martn as the mother OF Christ there
10 u terrible commotion in the clerical world. and
the Archbishop OF Paris expressed himself so