The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-31
AN AMERICAN TRAVELLER
Ono Who Mover Paid Anything
for Transportation.
uo Had Eaten at tho Expense OF Many
of the Leading Hotels Throughout
tho Country-His Trick on II
Hallway Official.

tho COuntry-Hls Trick
Hallway Official.
lie is n great traveller, says the Nash
vile American.
There is man in Nashville who has
travelled tho length and breadth of the
United States, from Maine to Mexico,
from New York to San Francisco, and
did not pay dime for his passage, and
he rode half the way in first-class pas
scngcr coach, the other half in box cars
us "blind baggage"
At present this distinguished traveller
is registered at the work house.
Everybody in Nashville knows him,
especially the policemen. A reporter
called on the traveller recently and
found him in mood to recite various
"reminiscences, some of them of thrill
ing interest.
II reckon" said he, at am about
MS well known in the big cities of the
country as the president, and when the
authorities of the place hear am COM
ing on visit they receive me with open
arms, although they don't have brass
band to play martial music and have
me ride in carriage. The mayor
doesn't make speech of welcome, but
the address of the police judge is i'm
pressive when he scowls ut me and
jerks out: Thirty days on the rock pile
There's secret in getting about the
country on your face, and even when
it's known some fellows haven't sense
enough to work the racket. Every
time leave Nashville rig up in n now
suit, and get pass to some town about
forty or fifty miles away. I never fall
in with a crowd of buns, for it's always
best to travel by yourself.
when I,start from one town to an
other generally strike the cannon-ball
trains and find out what kind of a crew
they carry. If it's good set of men l
ride between the mail-car and tender
If the trainmen are tough on fellow
crawlup under the trucks and hang on,
or sometimes get on top of passenger
coach and lie down by the lights. Rid
ing the trucks is dangerous, and if
fellow don't know how it's done he's n
goncr. You have to cramp yourself up
in peculiar position, hold your feet up
and never move during the ride. Some
times l ride the bral1c-rods. That's the
easiest and safest way to travel when
you're out on the beat. l get Il plank
with nail in each end, SO it won't slip,
put it under the rod and straddle it.
When get in the passenger coach 1
put up pitiful tale about being an I'M
fortunate railroad man and having lost
my papers, and 1 generally get my
ride.
II made fifty dollars once, and it
was the easiest money that ever came
into my hands. Maj. Clarfee was the
passenger agent of the Atchison, To-
peka &c Santa Fee road, and l went to
him in Fort Worth, told him was an
unfortunate and wanted to get out of
town. He gave me n pass to some
point about thirty miles up the road
and left that night When 1 went
into the coach who should see but
Maj. Clarfee. He motioned for me to
have seat by him, and commenced
asking about me and how man
aged to get about. why, major
said, I have travelled over your road n
thousand times and never paid cent
or had pass, nor beat my way At
this the old man pricxed up his ears,
for he thought he would catch some one
of his conductors at some underhand
trick.
GLOW do you do it?' the major asked
rae.
That's secret, said I.
"'1'll give you twenty dollars to put
me on to it.
Make it fifty said I.
"Done.' and he passed over the
money.
"'Well, major, walk
'Iie saw l had him and he didn't
kick, but he cooked his eye and looked
Mt me long time. When get hungry
go to the biggest hotel in the city,
give the clerk pitiful song and dance
and get a square meal. Sometimes
they take me up in the dining-room,
and sometimes they give me a hand
out. have eaten at the Palmer house
in Chicago, Mt the Ponce de Leon in ST.
Augustine, at the Fifth Avenue in New
York, and, in fact, the finest hotels in
|. the country ON that scheme.
The life is checl1ercd one, but
like it, and guess will always be a
bum"
Tho "OudJa."
The latest craze to strike Philadci-
phia is the wearing of the .'Oudia /" n