Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1892 — THE LONDON CABBY. [ARTICLE]

THE LONDON CABBY.

'A Unique Specimen of an Interesting l Class or Bread-Winners. By no means the least interesting feature of London life is the “cabby," as he is called, the driver of the hansom cab. These cabs are so numerous that, the city 3ee'ms actually to swarm with them, and it is easy to believe the statement of the guide-books that there are 10,000 of these vehicles ia the town. Of course, there Is a great in the drivers, and it hasmore than once happened that the sons of families of considerable position have passed the better portion of their lives on tho box of a hansom. An American who was in London during the past summer encountered rather an odd specimen of cabby, a man who had in some way evidently come down in the world, unlessmo unting a box be regarded as a rise. The stranger took a cab for a drive one afternoon, and, lihving no definite idea what he wished to do, told the driver to take him to some place that was worth seeing. The cabby looked him over, apparently making up his mind what 1 manner of man he had as passenger, and then started off in a direction which was not in the line of tho American’s previous explorations, although he had been in England a number of times and knew London tolerably well. The passenger poked up the little trap-door to the roof of the cab and asked where they were going. “Along apiece,” the driver returned. “Do you see, sir, that crowd on the corner?” he added, pulling up. The American looked In the direction indicated, and saw a crowd of people gathered about a . woman who was turning the crank of a barrelorgan. She was rather a pretty woman, and appeared strangely out of keeping with her occupation. “ThatisLadyLinton,"hesatd. And by subsequent inquiry the American found that this was not a mere ‘traveler’s tale,’designed to beguile him, but that tho organ-grinder was really a member of tho nobility cast off by her family. Tho hansom was started up again, and pretty soon tho driver announced that they were In Chelsea. "That house,” he said, pointing It out, “Is whero that old crah-applo Carlyle lived. Further up the street,” he continued, waxing more communicative, “there Is a funny fellow named Whistler, lie’s a painter, and tho papers pitch into his things like blazes, and he gets as mad as a hatter and answers them hack. They say it’s great fun for them that is in it." “You do not follow it up yourself, then,” the Amerlcun said. "No, sir,” the cabby said. “I like hotter to give my time to flowers. I havo a place that is pretty to look at, if Ido say it; and I’ve taken a very tidy lot of prizes, too, sir. Igo in for chrysanthemums just now. That's the go, and X can make something to help me on with in the greenhouses and gpt the missis a new gown now and then.” The’ cabby who cultivated flowers for amusement and drove a casual passenger out to see the house of Carlyle could hardly bo looked upon as a type, but as a variation he was at least Interesting.— Dbston Courier.