Written for The Flag of Our Union
A Police Story
by Will Rochester
Thomas Linchpin, hackman, was driving down the main street of the city in which he lived, with his wife and three children, his thoughts busy on the particulars of the late horrible tragedy that occurred at Washington. Thomas was a man of about twenty-nine, with a very fair understanding of matters and things in general—was well posted on all affairs with which a hack man’s life would admit of his coming in contact, and withal had a hackman’s shrewdness. He drove his well-matched and showy team of bays slowly down the street, and had just reached the railroad depot, when the express from the east came thundering across the road. A stranger with a travelling bag in his hand leaped off the platform of first passenger coach, and with a few quick strides was inside Linchpin’s hack.
“Where to, sir?” asked Thomas, getting hastily down from his seat and eyeing his customer inquiring.
“Road running north—and drive lively, will you!”