c?' 



T. 20: 



blind is frequently suspended an artificial flower 

 similar to that which adorns the horse's head, just 

 above his blinkers. If it be one of Lord Shrewsbury's 

 cabs it will be marked S. & T. on the outside panel, 

 and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that 

 your cab-proprietor is Charles Henry Talbot, Earl 

 of Shrewsbury, Earl Talbot of Hensol, County Gla- 

 morgan, Viscount Ingestre, County of Stafford, and 

 Baron Talbot of Hensol in the Peerage of Great 

 Britain, Earl of Waterford in that of Ireland, and 

 hereditary Lord High Steward of Ireland. 



But all hansom cabs are not like this ; some of them 



are dirty and shabby, the horse an ill-bred and sluggish 



beast who probably stands over, having broken his 



knees. It is painful to be drawn by such an animal, as 



he has very little go in him, and to keep him up to his 



collar, the driver's heavy lash is frequently brought 



down heavily on his worn frame. To any one who 



loves horses nothing can be more distressing than this. 



One cannot help conjecturing the history of the poor 



animal, and what he must have been before he came 



to such a pass. Remonstrance does but very little good 



in these cases ; although the cabby may abstain from 



thrashing the horse whilst you are in the cab, in the 



belief that by desisting he may increase the amount of 



his fare, yet, immediately that your back is turned, you 



may be certain, if the man is so inclined, he will punish 



the poor animal more than ever in consequence of the 



short respite you have obtained for him, and this is 



still more likely to be the case if some one afterwards 



engages his cab to catch a train, who feels no sympathy 



with the sufferings of dumb animals. I have often 



seen cabmen, when walking their horses slowly along 



the street, although their cabs have been empty, 



thrashing their horses, in order, possibly, to observe 



