Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-02-29
THE CADMEN OF PARIS
HalIinS One Is the Same as a
Declaration OF War.
THEY ARE lNSoLEHT RoGUES
Snssrs and CHGstis Advice Ara Show
cred Upon These Who Engage Them.
On Net or FsStRl Days the Cables
sPurn Those Who Want to Ride.

Among ARglo-Saxsns there Il a gen
ersI and Instructive desire to do bust
ness on the basb Of an entente cor
dale. In Parts the hsiling OF q cab
| man IL looked on by both parties to
the transaction as an implied declara-
ton OF war. The cRbman takes your
measure, and you take bis number II
you are wise. At once be will give
| you reason to remark that be has
! rooted and premeditated objection to
drive you where you wish to 20. Per
hsps be prefers the opera quarter be-
cause It iS central. or should the wealth
sr be fine his heart Is probably set
upon driving in the Bos. while you
may have business at the bourse. He
explains his views on the subject self
ishly and rudely.
foreigner alighted recently from
the Calais train at the Northern rail-
way station 10 Paris and ordered a
typical Partisan cabman. bloated. paIo
and absinth soaked. 70 drive him to
the Rue Blomet which Is street In
the relatively distant Vanguard quar-
ter "Peut on habiter la Rue BlonetE"
T'ls It possible 20 inha bit the Rue
BlonetTo exclaimed the ragged ruff
nan In an eptgramnatic note Of dis
dain which would have done honor to
Beau Brummel
But It is when the Paris cabman has
once started Oh his course" war
path in the strict sense Of the term.
that he proves to what a llnitless ex-
tent be Is the enemy Of mankind. His
hatred OF the bourgeois" the man IN
the street." in spite Of and indeed be-
c2use OF his being a potential client.
Is expressed AZ every yard He con
stantly tries 10 run him down. which
makes strangers 20 Paris accuse the
Paris cabman Of driving badly. while
In point OF fact be Is not driving ut
al. but playing with miraculous skill
game OF his own which suggests can
non billiards IN the hands Of u worlds
champion.
But 1t is not with the public alone
that he is at war. On all other cab
men whose path he crosses. on omni-
bus drivers, mOtorcar men. bicyclists.
private coachmeu. costeTnoDgers with
barrows aud (sotto vocel the police he
heaps deadly insults. the least outra-
geous OF which are Ours c'BeargD
and 'FOurneaur Govern. the latter
containing = subtle double meaning.
Ineligible only TO those who have
Paris ''argot' or slang at their finger
ends and too long 10 explain
The cabnGns Wild career through
the streets. the constant wayering and
slashing Of his pitiless whip. his mad
cap hurtlements and collisions. the
frenzied gesticulations which he ex-
changes with his fare" the panic
stricken Digit OF the agonized women
Whose lives he has endangered. the
ugly PUSHES which the public occasion
ally makes at him with u view TO
lynching him, the sprawlings and fall
inSs Of his maddened. hysterical. starry
Ing horse, contribute as much as any
thing TO the spasmodic intensity. the
electric blue IRE diablerie. which are
characteristic OF the general move
ment Of Paris.
All that can be said IN mitigation of
the Paris cabmans method is that
he has them IN the blood" Every
Partisan (Rnd the cabman is no excep-
tom has the soul OF q dictator and
the spirit OF an artist. To exercise au-
tocratic power and. failing this. to en-
Joy the maximum OF personal freedom
from all restraint, moral or social, Is
the goal ut which lie is ever aiming.
openly or secretly.
Watch Paris cabman, for instance.
on q wet day or on some festival oc-
casion, such as the New Year. when
there is big demand for his services.
With what naughty disdaln does he
drive along the streets, deaf to every
appeal, refusing every fare, rejoicing
IN the discomfort and inconvenience
be Is causing, triumphant in the
thought that at last he has the bour-
geois" at his feet; that the clientele
which he detests and which detests
him is now 4 Inundated, bemuddIed
or oeoraggled mob Of supplicants
waiting on his Will. whom he can en-
rage to boiling point with his sneers
and bis silence or lash with his sar
casms as cruelty as be beats his horse
Cheerfuny does he sacrifice half s
days earnings to the enjoyment OF
this exquisite revenge. for at least be
can say to his hungry wife and chill
cren when he gets home, "Jai vecu.'
They may not have dined. but he has
lived
1t is because the Partisan recognize.
In himself certain community OF
sentiment with the cabman in this at
titude toward life that he tolerates
him. though he does not forgive him
-Harpers Weekly