The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1900-07-26
CHAPTER ].
THE CABMAN'S FARE.

1t was bitterly cold The keen De-
cember wind swept down the crowded
thoroughfare, nipping the noses and
ears of the gay pedestrians, comfort
ably muilled in their warm wraps.
Broadway was thronged with the
usual holiday shoppers and pleasure
seekers. Cabs with their jaded steeds
driven by weatherbeaten jehus, and
private carriages behind weIl-groomed
horses handled by liveried coachmen,
deftly made their way through the
crowds and deposited their fares at the
entrances of the brightly-lighted thea
tiers or fashionable restaurants. \
wizened hag, seated on the curbstone
at the corner, seemed to shrink into
hers, If with the cold as She turned the
crank of her tiny barrel-organ and
ground out Il dismal and scarcely au-
diblc cacophony; while an anxious
eyed newsboy, not yet in his teens, shiN-
cred on the opposite side OF the way.
as. with tremulous lips, he solicited Il
purchaser for his unsold stock. One
could hardly be expected to open "A
warm ovcrcoat on such cold night,
for The sake of throwing a cent to an
old brggar woman, or of buying news
pap,.' from ragged urchin. Even the
gayly decorated shop windows failed
to arrest the idle passerby; for it re-
quir,d perpetual motion to keep the
blood in circulation.
Tie giant policeman on the crossing.
representing the majesty of the law,
sway ed ;he crowd of vehicles and pedcs-
TRANS with the authoritative gestures
of his ponderous hands, and gallantly
escorted bands Of timid women through
the ineXtricable maze.
And withal. the cable cars, with thciI
discordant clangor. rumbled rapidly
to and fro, like noisy shuttles. shoot
ing The wool of the many-hued fabric
which is the life Of It great city.
Presently from one of the side streets
there came a cab, which started leisure
ly 10 cross broadway. The big police
man. with his eyes fixed upon an APP
preaching car, held up a warning hand
to which the driver seemed to pay no
attention, for the reins remained slack
and the listless horse continued to
move slowly across the avenue.
Several people turned to look with
mild curiosity at the bold cabman who
dared thus to disregard the authority
of blue cloth and brass buttons. Their
surprise turned quickly to Hmazement
nddismay when their eyes ed upon
him; for his head had fallen forward
upon his chest and his limp body
swnNed upon the box with every mo-
ton of the cab. He seemed unconscious
of his surroundings. like one drunk
or in "A stupor.
At his side sat young man closely
muilied in his overcoat and with a
seal3kin cap pulled well down over his
ears. His face was deathly pale. Those
that his bloodless lips were firmly set
and that his eyes glittered with Il few
erish light He carried one hand in the
lapel of his coat. With the other he
shook the inert form of the uncon-
scious cabman. in an effort to arouse
Hiiil W Il StllSt vi tlt llH ''hNlliS tdIS'l'
The situation flashed upon the
gripman on the car. Instantly he
threw his weight upon the brake
wheel. at the same time loudly sound
ing his gong. The policeman. too. I'M
derstood in "A twinliling what was
about to happen. and rushed for the
horses head. But it was too late
The cab was fairly across the track
wien the car. with slackened speed,
crashed into it.
just before the collision. the young
man in the sealskin cap sprang from
the box to the street. He landed upon
his feet; but. losing his balance. he
fell forward upon his left arm. which
still remained in the lapel of his coat.
He must have hurt himself; for those
But the center of interest was else
where, and no one paid much atten-
tiou to the young man. who. arising
quickly. disappeared in the crowd.
The cab. after lettering for an in
slant on two wheels, fell over upon
us sue, with II IOut 1lolSt VI SI)llnlFI-
il" wood and breaking glass. The
driver rolled off the box in heap.
At the same time. the panic-strickcn
p. ssengerS on the ear rushed madly
for the doors. fighting like wild
beasts in their haste to reach place
OF safety.
After the first frenZicd moment. it
became evident that. although badly
shaken up. the passengers had re-
cviyed no in juries, except such bruises
as they had inflicted upon each other
in their mad struggle to escape BY
this time a crowd had collected about
the overturned cab, and several more
Policemen had come TO the assist
ance of the first one. who was now
seated screnely upon the head Of the
cab-horse, Il precaution seemingly
supertluous. for the poor beast
tAough uninjured, appeared to be
quite satisfied TO rest where he lay
until he should be forced once more
T resume the grind of his unhappy
existence.
The cabman had been rudely
shaken by his fall He had lain as
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