The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1892-06-14
TWO TOURISTS,
Who Are Travelling Through
The Country PupOseless.

!" Seuie WHICH way 10 go. One
wanted to 60 hack to St. Louis, and
on east from there the other was in
favor Of Kansas City and the north
west.
They were middle aged, poorly
dressed, and their clio hes showed signs
Of long wear. Their shoes were relics
Of fcrUer prosperity and their heads
were covered with battered soft hats.
The reporter thought it strange that
men of their appearance should be
discussing journeys, the ends OF which
lay either on the shores of the Allan.
tic ocean or above the great lakes OF
the northwest.
One of them left the truck to talk
with one Of the brskemen On freight
train that hid Just arrived, and the
reporter took the vacant seat 10 have
a talk with his companion.
He proved to be an old-.ime railroad
man-''a hobo" he styled himself, ex-
planning the term by saying be was
not a member of any Of the organiza-
tons OF railroad men. He had been
working ON railroads for over twenty
years, and in the last ten or twelve
years had been q confirm,d traveller
had been in every state and territory
in the United States; once to Brazil,
South America, and had worked On
the railroads in Costa Rica and Pan
anna.
The msn was intelligent. and his
language showed some educate n. He
bad not been an unob.ervant traveller,
and could 10 k well On his calling and
what he bad seen in bis travels.
The reporter asked him if he and
bis friend had decided which way they
would 90. He laughed and said |
No! Billy wants to 60 to Locust
Point, the eastern terminus of the B. |
Il O., and ] don't"
1--WE been over that piece country
once when l was broke, and l don't
want to try it again. Why its the
toughest country in the stale to ride
10, and if you're broke you come
mighty near starvation. We neither
of US have a cent, and I'm goin where
can eat once in q while, anyway,
until / find work"
Broke, and talking Of travelling a |
thousand miles or moIe!" said the
reporter. "How. do you do it?"
"Oh, that's easy enough. We don't
ride in sleeping cars or eat at first Glass
hotels, bu if you understand the bus;-
ness you can get something to eat, and
If you are a railroad man you can ride
almost anywhere on freight train.
Sometimes. If The conductor Is not too
stiff brotherhood man, We ca, ride
in the caboose, if that tails We have
to take one of the side door Pull
man (box cars)
IF the brake finds you he will
probably bit you for money. but lit.
tie talk will generally square it with
him. Ut course We have to keep out
OF the way of the conductor. If he
sees you, you hit the grit snre."
Sometimes it takes long time to
get little way. and again We often
make 800 or 400 miles on the same
train.
"As to eating you have to get it as
you Can. II we get hungry and can't
find railroad man who will feed us,
there is no other way but to hit q
back door, and offer to work for q
meal. If a man is gentlemanly in
his talk and manner, he is seldom
refused something to eat, work or no
work. Once in a while q lady will
introduce you to w,od pile and it
may take an hour or two to chop out
a meal, but you asked for work and
you have no kick coming it you get
it. But generally they give you
'hand out" and cay nothing about it.
The man was evidently q profess
sional "tourIst" and Notwithstanding
his good MANNER, and intelligence,
wss not ashamed Of it to any great
extent. He had come good letters
from train masters and superinten-
dents of railroads where he had
worked, b. none of late date. and
when the reporter asked him why with
his ability, he did not go TO work on
some railroad and stay there and work
himself up to a good position. He {
said: II
"I,'s no use. ! 60 to work for q
railroad company and make up my ::
mind to stay and behave myself. and
the first pay day get, l get loaded {
with whiskey and when l get sober l
am out of job and out Of money too.
l have made hundreds of good reso-
buttons never to touch the stuff again,
but as soen a. I get good job ] fall
through and always with the came re-
suit. never drink when am out
of work. although il u the easiest