The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-09
ONE PATIENT ASHCART MAN.
Episode OF an Icy Street and . We'll
Meaning Young Man.

IF, when the streets are slippery, there
IL one driver more than another that 10
called upon to exercise his patience said
the town traveller, that one Is certainly
the ashcart driver.
'Other drivers oan commonly keep
along the browning middle Of the road
where the going Is best. But the asboart
man Is compelled to keep along the slopins
sides Of the street, where the going is more
difficult.
There L. ar uptown street where the
horse Of IN ashcart slipped and fell. The
harness was all twist ed and tangled up
SO that It seemed as II every strap and ohain
had been tied up IN double bow-knots.
1T was necessary to take the harness
practically all apart before they could
even pull away from the horse the shafts
Of the heavily loaded cart. A truckmsn
who happened along stopped his horse
INC got down aud helped as did also the
young driver Of a delivery wagon. who
had CHANGED to be close by at the time.
when they had got everything clear.
the cart hauled away. and the harness
off, the ashcart man spread ashes all around
his horses feet, and pretty soon he had
him up again. And In due time. with the
help Of the others, he got the harness re-
assembled ana on inc morse, anu the nOTso
again hooked up In the cart, and so was
ready once more to 60 on.
"Then the 8shcart man sprinkled moro
ashes around the horses feet, and spread
a broad trail OF ashes up TO the middle OF
the street, toward which he now tried 10
lead him. Thu horse struggled and slipped.
and slipped and struggled; making an inch
or two, and then stopping a moment to
rest and gather himself.
"The driver let him take his own time
n -A.Ne aN naA Itl ~ 49, - $685. IHNn
but walked around him when he stopped,
and kicked the ashes in under his feet TO
give him a better grip. The truckman
and the delivery wagon young man stood
by for a little time to see the outcome, u
which the promise was good.
But when the horse, inching along
like that, had got about half way up 10
the summit, everything was upset IA a
minute. Tho horse had again SET his toes
into the pavement and begun to pull. just
then the delivery-wagon young man, aI-
parently thinking that the horse "l-it
doing quite as well as he might, touched Iltu
! up a little on the hind legs with hi whip.
IT wasn't a cruel blow, II WASH mann
10 be, not for a minute j. Wis q HfHL
blow, and perfectly well intended hui wen
the startled horse tried TO dig In feet mo
the pavement harder in rcSpuu-" 10 II,
out they went from under him, and DOWN
he went again, fiat as before.
1 thought, myself, that Of all tho iooI
@@' $500
blow was the most foolish, ana 81 C'Al''
| knew what the ashcart man would ,.l.tN
about il; and when ] saw him Na.h.is
around from the other side Of tl' ".,iL,
where he had happened TO I've WREN nav
blow was struck, TO where the YOU 8 nan
stood, whip in hand, realizing now, hIl''aI
what a foolish thing he had done, WY
wondered what the ashcart driver w'"' o.
Thought he would be justified ln hh",t-
ing the young man down, and KICKING mn.
hard. about eleven times, then GIVING
him about seven whaCks over ~" ht"d WIN
his shovel. But he didn't even GUS Inn.
HE just stood there aud looked az ~"
young man for two or three SECONDS, hIt
IN anger, not even in contempt, Guy WIN
a uHou expression OF wonder ana ply
Of wonder that there could be, m al We
world, such an everlasting IDIOT a. 10 i"r'h
"A smooth-shod horse withaNhip on a sloIhH
icy road, and Of pity for the Gun man
he saw before him. that he should be II.
Then he calmly set about getting inc
horse up again