The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-04-22
MAKING IT UP IN THE CAR

|
 The Queer Experience of an American 1 Who Gave Stranger Ride In Lon- 1 don.
 q was never in London but once,"
 said young clubman, chatting about foreign travel the other day, and that visit is chiefly impressed on my memo
 ry by very curious adventure had in
 cab. It happened in this way:
 "A good friend had mapped out an itinerary that kept me continually on the jump, and one evening, after din-
 her at a swell restaurant, he struck me some fellow Americans at club two or three miles away. He was coming him. self little later and had taken the pre-
 caution to write the exact address on
 one of my cards, in case the cabby got
 muddled. We'll the cabby did get mud
 dled, and presently he pulled up in front of very large, brilliantly lighted building to make some inquiries.
 While he was talking to a policeman,
 man wrapped in a heavy ulster and
 wearing a silk hat pulled low over his
 forehead appeared suddenly at the cab door. Beg your pardon, he said in an
 agitated voice, but have most inn portant engagement to keep in ten minutes, and there isn't cab within a mile. I have just overheard your man getting his directions and you pass di- rectly by my place Will you allow me to ride that far with you-I assure you It is most important
 Naturally I hesitated, but the man was so earnest in his plea that yield ed to a second impulse and told him to jump in, He did so with alacrity, and the driver immediately whipped up his horses. The cab was four wheeler so there was plenty of room, and my pas senger, who, by the way carried a small hand satchel, silently ensconced him. self in the corner of the front seat, with his shoulder to the window. That put him in the shadow, and, as he left his ulster collar turned up and his hat pulled down, I could get no idea of his face, except that he seemed to be very
 
 not to be seen was suspicious, taken in connection with his agitation and I be- | gan to recall all the horrible stories I ! had heard of murders in hanson cabs, | chloroformers, sandbaggers and homi- cidal lunatics until in few moments I | was in such a frame of mind that, pon my word, I believe pride Is the only | thing that prevented me from stopping . the vehicle and calling help.
 Meanwhile we had been traversing very busy section of the city and got caught in one or two slight blockades. At each stop my companion's nervous ness increased and he was continually a watch that he whipped out of his big ulster. Good heavensn he exclaimed finally, I'll be late sure un- less fix up here! Will you allow me?' waiting for an answer he i off his hat, and I was startled half out of my wits at the sight of a face painted seal brown, with a green oose and pink circles around the eyes md mouth. I'm Bartoni, the man he said noticing my amaze contortionist, you know I'm performing in four different halls every IlSHl, uG Wclll UT, I IululIlt5lHS III lis satchel, and I need to make quick from one to the other. leed little change of makeup for my lext turn and if you don't object I'll fix t up here, so as to be all ready when We get there I told him to go ahead, md, as we'll as I remember he painted lis nose blue. His ulster came open in he process and I saw he wore full juit of fur tights. !
 "A few moments later we reached he theater, and, thanking me warmly, 7, le sprang out and disappeared leaving z ne somewhat dazed. I heard afterward /, hat it was common think for vaude- I file stars to play several houses at Y nee in London Some of them make < II of their changes in cabs. "-New Or T cans Times Democrat. <