AN ARISTOCRATIC CABBY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 159, 14 April 1874, Page 2

AN ARISTOCRATIC CABBY.

We extract the following from Mr. Tinne’s newly published work on “ The Wonderland of the Antipodes ” : —“ Here (i.e. Napier), as elsewhere in New Zealand, one meets now and then with social anomalies which one can look at sometimes from a ludicrous as well as distressing {toint of view. For instance, when I was ooking about, on my arrival at the hotel, for some stables in which to put my horse, I suddenly felt a tap on the shoulder, and heard * How d’ye do ?’ from a nice-looking young fellow, whose face I had some difficulty at first in recalling It was N—, a pupil of the same tutor as myself at Eton; and here he had taken to keeping a livery stable in Napier, and driving a hansom in the streets for hire. Most of the residents knew his history, and looked upon the whole affair rather as a joke than otherwise ; so much so, that they did not hesitate to offer him their hospitality, and ladies would always bow on meeting him unless he was actually on the box driving. They told me an amusing story of his experience. Colonel Russell, the Minister of Instruction, hired the hansom for a bal 1 in the neighbourhood, and on reaching the door of the house gave N— directions to return for him at 1 a.m.; N— touched his hat, and rode off, but had not gone far down the road before he stopped, took the horse out and tethered him to a tree, and slipping off his mackintosh, came back to the house in full evening dress, having received an invitation also himself, The evening wore out and morning arrived. About three o’clock someone walked up to Colonel Russell, whom he saw leaning against the wall and looking rather annoyed, and remarked to him, ‘ Why, Russell, I thought you were an early bird; what are you doing at the ball still?’ ‘Well,’ said the Colonel, ‘ I had intended to go home about two hours ago, but there’s that confounded cabby of mine engaged for three more dances, and I can’t get away till he’s done.’ ” —Wellington Tribune.