Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-10
BATHS FREE OF CHARGE.
Tramps May Get Them ON the Rsilwsys
Incseentsity 20 . Ride.

Tramps May Get Them ON the Rsilwsys
Incidentally 10 Ride.
Did you ever see tramp take bath .
said the baggege-mastof on the "Con-
gressional Limited short distance bo-
I never did," replied the Washington
Star reporter, who Was smoking on Q boz.
tacle?"
"It might be interesting, l should i'm
sgine: But the tramp must be caught
"pve got one now"
Where 2"
"In trap"
The newspaper-man looked around for
something like q mouso-trap on . large
scale with tramp in it but there was
nothing TO be seen but boxes and trunks.
Il don't see him." he said.
He is on this car" declared the bag
gage-master. "At this very moment be IL
riding outside. No. you can't zee him, be
cause he is lying across the platform. ]
caught sight OF him just after We left
Trenton. He looked very comfortable,
and he doesn't know. that anybody is on to
him. But have TO keep . sharp lookout,
for the reason that / frequently carry
money and other valuables."
why don't you put him od?"
Because we don't stop until We get ia
Philadelphia. but he will have nice bath
before he gets there"
How do you mean?"
"pll sho1 you presently You see, va
are Just behind the tender OF tho locomo-
tive. have given private signal to the
engineer, and be knows what IS expected
of him. Only about miie ahead now
there is water-trough, where the locomo-
tive takes up water while going at full
speed. 1t is sort Of ditch that runs along
rails filed with water. The locomotive
takes up the water vita kind Of scoop.
Just watch
A moment later the water-trough was
struck and spray began hying out Of the
top of the great iron tank on the tender,
the lid of it Tapping MP and down while
the reservoir filed itself from below. This
did not occupy more than halt a minute,
at the end of which the engineer should
have pulled up the scoop. Instead OF that,
however, he permitted the tank to over.
flow in q cataract. which was flung back
ward like miniature Niagara against the
forward end of the baggage.car.
Just look at that" cried the baggage
master, delightedly. "Ain't he getting it,
thought"
In truth, the unfortunate tramp must
have been getting itwith vengeance. for
the tremendous flood of water spouting
from the top OF the tank continued to
fling itself against the face of the baggage
car for fully three quarters OF minute,
which must have been nearly sufficient to
drown any human being on the first plat
form. SO copious was it that the water
flowed beneath the door and threatened to
inundste the freight.
IF that fellow is still alive" said the
baggage-master. when the cataract had
finally suspended its activity, "he has
had enough to give him distaste for
water for the rest Of his life. There isn't
anything that will frighten o man like a
dose of that sort. according to our expe-
rience. Coming on him unawaresit scares
him most to death, besides'h half drowning
hun. He don't know when 1t is going to
stop, and he has to choose between stand
ing it and jumping of the train"
But suppose he should jump OF and
be killed."
"What would il matter 2" replied the
baggage master, philosophically.
When the train slowed up an hour later
near Philadelphia tho newspaper-man saw
a figure that looked more like drowned
rat than like human being crawl of the
front platform of the baggage car and
steal sorrowfully away. It was the tramp
who had had bath as well as o ride at thu
expense of the railway.