The Grinder Papers — page 20: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

19 a ee eae I as Oe Sere tS oo ee ee ae y 4 a sa." al ak THE GRINDER PAPERS. ~ 15 He shut the door and went away a moment, and when he came back a military gentleman was with him—a splendid’ man, with a dark blue uniform, with brass buttons, and a thingumyjig with a chain on his breast. Says he, just like a military man— rough and ready, you know— ‘Hallo, now! what’s the muss?” Said I, ‘‘Thank you for asking, general ; it’s this man—pre- tends to be a cab-driver, and don’t know any one in New York.” The driver struck in then and explained matters his own way, and the military gentleman says: ‘“My good lady, you must really go to a hotel.” b ‘“If it’s your advice, general, I'll go,” says I. Then he says, ‘‘All right—go ahead, driver.” Driver says, ‘‘Take you to the Astor, ma'am?” Says I, ‘‘One’s as good as the other. I suppose they can tell me there.” 3 _ “*Yes,” says the man, and away we drove. Well, at the hotel out came two men and took in my things polite as could be, and a black man in a white apron bowed to me asif I was a queen. Since the abolition times there’s no knowing who a colored person may be, so I courtesied back, and says I to the driver: “‘T want my money back. The bargain was to take me to Cousin John’s.” He only put his finger to his nose and drove off. I couldn't run after a carriage and horses, you know. So that’s the last I saw of ‘em, GEomicbooks m