The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-19
Experiences of a Hickman

~snaent takes no credit responsibility there
for As a tyre and expression or his interesting
lass he is presented to the reader just as he Is
nv means OF his own unedited utterances in
srterview with our Representatives. His nickname
III s .f,ute' was given him by his fellows long
ago for achievements in the realm Of diplomacy"
rye been thirty-ffve years at the hackin'
business in Brooklyn an Manhattan. an
rye seen lot of comm an goin' an all
sorts Of changes.
When a mans in public life like me he
doesn't want to have no prejudices. There's
a lot of drivers that is down on the troll
Ievs an the 'busses an them cheap things
that carries people ten. miles for cents,
,ransferrin' 'em round fer nothin'. They
say that the trolleys an such makes cheap
people dime-savers that squeezes their
money; but, says I, it takes all sorts to
make I'D a world. an there's room for the
cheap people an for me, too
OF course things has changed. an lot
Of good spenders has gone, but still amt
starvin' TO death. If a man knows the ropes
and conducts himself right he can do good
business here, in spite of all.
There's the bridge jam in the mornin'. on
the Brooklyn side, an the bridge jam in the
evenin' on the Manhattan side. They is
good business. If you lay up close to 'em
an wait. some one is pretty certain to get
some ribs busted an have to go home In a
hack. They's done me lot OF good, an so
has the crowdin' on the cars.
Oh. hackin's not played out. an it never
won't be. not any time, no matter what.
The hackmen what grumbles an says that
all the good things is gone is sour an gives
themselves away. All the good things amt
gone If you just act right.
It amt so many weeks ago when I got
the biggest tip that ever came to me from a
man L never seen before. He came out Of
the railroad station with two friends an a
hatbox. He was tall, slim, youngish-old
man, with light whiskers an mustache
He looks along our line an, says he,
where's Corcoran?"
They run at him shoutin' "Keb! Keb!
Kebr' like lot o. hoodlums, but stands
by my carriage like a captain stands by
his vessel, cause know no gent likes bein'
mobbed. He turns to me, an I touches my
hat. an says:
"Corcorans just gone, sir, but IL you
have any message I'll deliver it,
He always drives me-" says he, in dis
contented way. Then says he, Never mind,
you'll do"
an the hatbox, because he seen that un-
derstood my business an was civilian
that's a pint to remember. Civilness don't
cost nOthin'. an 1t goes a long way with
some people.
He gets in the carriage an drove him to
a house, where he an his friends an the
hatbox went inside. while I blanketed the
horses an walked about switchin' with my
t.
OF all the clothes 1 had on, 1 was most
froze. The wind came right through the
four coats an three waistcoats an two un-
dervests that 1 wore, an set me shiverin'
so that 1 couldn't sleep on the box the
way 1 mostly does when there's a long
wait But 1 amt the man TO quit. I'll stay
with a gent as long as he wants me, pro-
vided my moneys all right. was with one
party three days an nights enc time show
in him the town. wouldn't hev quit then,
but he couldn't stand no more an the police
took him to a hospital.
So l just waited an waited fer the Teller
with the hatbox. L don't drink (tho most
hackmen does; poor fellers), at least not
TO speak of, but / always have bottle
with sort of medicine in 1t for keepin'
out the cold. an every now an then 1
took pull at IL.
was great deal OF laughin' an carryin'
on inside.
After | had been waitin' for near five
mornin', man comes out of the house, an,
says /:
whats doin' %
oh says he, 1.-The Teller inside there Is
Just burnin' up money"
About half an hour later he came to the
door.
"Cabby?" says he; Eyes, sir" says I.
There's your fare" says he; an he give
me 81.
Eyes. sir" says 1. takin' the money an
You've been waitin', haven't your"
Yes, sir" says l.
Wen says he, ST didn't tell you to
wait"
Eyes. sir" says l. He did tell me to wait
but IL don't do for man in public life like
me TO get gay with a customer. Where
you may make a dollar by squeeze you
may lose ten by turnin the Teller agin YOU
Yes, sir, says /, an L touched my hat
again an made as If / was gOin' to jump
on my seat: but, says he:
Now that yOu's here you may as well
drive me some more. Don't you want some
wen, / am a bit hungry, SIR says I.
He goes in the house again an sends the
servants out with a roast chicken, some
jelly an a bottle of champagne l amt a
drinkin man, as l said; but, of course,
champagne don't count
i didn't see no more of my fare for two
hours an then he came out an got in the
carriage with his friends an the hatbox an
'sDrive me down where can see the ma
jestic ocean roll, fer my heart is feelin'
sad" says he
SO 1 drove 'em down the boulevard to
Coney island, and we got to hotel there
Just when il was gettin' light They'd fin
ished their bottles by the time we got there,
an my fare remarks: I'm afraid / ain
got no friends but the others says: mo.
no, that amt the case, an they would
stick by him always"
When we got out at the hotel my fare
shook hands with me an made me take
breakfast with him. When it come to pay
the bill he opens the hatbox an tells the
manager TO help himself. 1t was full or
money There was over $4,000 there.
He told the manager an me about MS
trouble. He had married a poor girl an
they lived happy for a week. Then she be-
gun objectin' to his habits. So he quit her.
Then she gets divorce. Then his father
dies and leaves him $3000.000. Then what
does she do but git the divorce opened and
come back after slice of his money. The
court stands for her. too, an he has TO pay
$4,000 10 shut her up.
He says that that sickens him of this
country, an he must leave his native land.
/ didn't say nothin' about money, but
when / got back to town with him that
man gave me a thousand dollars right In
my hand
You're honest man." says he, I'm
proud TO meet such"
Now IL / had sQuabbled with that man
about s. bill, where would have been?
| found an eminent citizen one night try
- 81, fop 81 holdi0f him