The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-12
A STERN CHASE.

It was just about this time last year, an
just about this time O. night, was walk
ing the mare along Broadway looking for
a job-an, to tell the truth, looking weary
an anxious for one, seem as how I'd been
out since 10 o'clock an hadn't even taken
my yard money.
I was just passin Chambers street when
out Of the shadow I sees two people who
attracted my attention. They was scud-
din along arm in arm, as if Old Nick was
after 'em, an their faces as they came into
the gaslight was CHASTITY white.
One, as far as could see, for he wore
SLOUGH hat, an his ulster collar was turned
up, was a gentleman in the late twenties or
early thirties The other was gel of about
90, wearin a travelin cloak an a tweed
hat an carryin sort O. handbag. I jest
caught sight of her face as she stood under
the gaslight at the street corner, an al
though, as everybody knows, amt what is
called a unreasonable sort O. cove, it
gave me real thump in the chest like. 1t
was such pretty face, an not on'y pref
ty but sweet face; the lines was SO deli
cate, an there was such sad shadow over
it, especially about the eyes. an the chin
had such daisy Of dimple on it. All,
it's all VERY well for you coves to say
Cheese it," Human nature is human ma
ture, whether it's settiE inside a kerride
an four or outside a bloomin shoful, an
lovely woman is the one touch O. nature as
makes the 'ole world kin. as Shakespeare
says. an you bet he knew something.
The male party he darts up an catches
hold of the splashboard an says, "Cabby,
can you catch the midnight train for Bos-
toni"
Says L: ''I'll have a shot at it, sir. There's
no KNOWN what my little mare can do on
the pinch. Jump i'm
The girl hops in like a bird, an the fellow
arfter her. an as the doors swung to on them
whistles to the mare, an f1icks the whip
that talks to her with an strokes her. but
never fogs her with, an she was off in a
smart trot
But just then hears somebody behind
shoutin. Hi! stop that cabl' an looks
round and reins in a bit. Then says to
my fare through the butterfly: There's
old gent a-signalin me to Stop, sir. Friend
of yourn, l serpose?"
But my fare he says, excited like: Drive
onl Drive onl Don't take any notice of
anybody till you get to the Grand Central.
Well, thinks l. it's no business O. mine.
My instructions is &c. G. by 12," SO l CHR
rups to the mare, an in hinfnitesnal
part of second that old gent was, instead
of 10 yards. 200 in the rear.
Then begins to wonder what the little
game is, for glancin round I sees the old
gent jump into another hanson an shout,
"Overtake that cab at all hazardsl'
The driver of that cab, strange enough,
L. T. III
an me somehow happened to have took
dislike to each other, principally on ac-
count of our hRvin took hkin to the very
same identical young woman as was just
then upper 'ousemaid in a 'ouse in Licking
ton avenue.
Now, Joe was chap as put on enough
side to have made billiard ball do any
think, but while didn't care fardin rush
| light about i'm thinkin ITSELF a lot smarter
| teller than me, when it came to chippin
about losses, as he was very partial to, it
| kinder used to touch me on the raw, an
| when he said, as if my mare was another
color an gender. she'd "a done very well for
! the undertaken line used to cop the needle
| to that extent that one day we got off our
| boxes in quiet street to settle our chippin
| match with scrappin one, which we should
| have done quiet an peaceable if as how a
| long drawn copper, as was our mutual rival
| in the affections Of the girl Of both of our
hearts, hadn't appeared on the scene an
| threatened to take our number as well as
takin our kebs.
| So when / hears Joe chyike to the old
genelman (but at me): "All right, sir.
can waltz round that ere relic of Old Bulls
! Head,' l says: 'Can yer? Well, We'll have
| try" an gives quiet tug at the offside
rein, as told my little mare what was want
| nd of her
| | never asked question in vain. She
! aourished her head as if she was goin to
| butt at brick wall; then she chucked out
| her fore feet, as if She was Paddyrisky
! a-playin grand pianner, an you could hear
| the music ON the stones as she fooled along
| over it, an the lampposts they whizzed past
| as close on each other as the bullets out of
gatlin.
| Then, what with thinking about the gel
! as was the bone of contention betwixt Joe
| an me, an what funny thing love was,
an haow it upset things in general an m ade
everything bit brisker, ali of sudden a.
idea flashed into my cad. lifts the but
terfy once again, an says to my fare:
THAT ole gents took another cab, an he's
racin of US, sir"
"A flyer if you beat him." says the fellow,
an thrustin his hand through he says,
There's something on account"
Right you are, sir" saysI. But scuse
nle-is it elopement?"
You've hit it." he says, an the gel
laughs sech a pretty musical laugh too
| THAT is this young lady's scoundrel OF
guardian, who wants to keep her fortune
an prevent her marryin me-"
says, go it, my beauty" an just as she
sweeps round into Madison square the mare
| oiyes hound fo...-or ~ on q conner stand.