"Ginger" shook 'is red 'ead and said nothink. Says Tommy, "Old 'Barney the Bunch' was the sulkiest sort,
'E 'adn't no heart for a pal in distress, and 'e never liked 'parting' for friendship or sport.
But what 'e most shirked was all haccident cases. Well, Cabbies don't cotton to them, as a rule,
But 'Barney the Bunch' was a bit extry-brutal; a reg'lar old flint-hearted, foxy-eyed fool.
"Bunched up on 'is box all alone one cold evening, when not a four-wheeler, 'cept 'is, was in sight,
Old Barney was 'ailed by a poor shrieking creetur as 'eld a small girl in 'er arms, taller-white,
With a small crimson cut on 'er poor little temple, arf hid by 'er goldian ringlets shook loose:
'The orspital—quick—for 'ev'n's sake!' pants the mother; 'Oh! don't lose a hinstant.' Lor, 'twasn't no use!
"Barney whips up 'is 'orse, and trots off, most deliberate, grunting as 'ow that 'is cab worn't a 'earse.
Most superstitious old griffin the 'Bunch' wos. Well there, the child died. But if ever a curse