The record-union., 1893-01-30
HE GOT IT
How Tramp Was Given a Free Bath
Very Unexpectedly.

How a Tramp Was Given a Free Bath
Very Unexpectedly.
did you ever see a tramp take a bath?"
said the baggagemaster on the Congress
sional Limited a short distance beyond
Trenton.
II never did," replied star reporter,
who was smoking on box.
Would you like to witness such a
1 spectacle?"
lit might be interesting should imag-
inc. But the tramp must be got first"
I've got one now."
"Where?"
''In trap"
! The newspaper man looked around for
something like mousetrap on large
scale with a tramp in it, but there was
nothing to be seen but boxes and trunks.
II don't see him"
'He Is on this car" declared the bag
gagemaster. SAT this very moment he Is
riding outside. No, you can't see him
because he is lying across the platform. l
caught sight of him just after we left
Trenton. He looked very comfortable,
and he don't know that anybody is on
TO him. But [ have to keep a sharp look
out, for the reason that | frequently carry
money and other valuables."
why don't you put him otf?''
because we don't stop until we get to
Philadelphia, but he will have a nice bath
before he gets there"
"How do you mean?"
"pll show you presently. You see, we
are just behind the tender of the locomo-
tive. have given private signal to the
engineer, and he knows what is expected
OF him, Only about mile ahead now
there is Water-trough where the locomo-
tive takes up water while going at full
speed. 1t is a sort Of ditch that runs
along for a considerable distance between
the rails filled with water. The locomo-
tive takes up the water with kind of
scoop. just Watchu"
a moment later the ater-trough was
struck and spray began flying out OF the
top OF the great iron tank on the tender
the lld OF 1t mapping up and down, while
the reservoir nlled itself from below.
This did not occupy more than half a
minute, at the end Of which the engineer
should have pulled up the scoop. Instead
OF that, however, he permitted the tank
to overflow in cataract, which was
hung backward like a miniature Niagara
against the forward end OF the baggage
car.
Just look at that,' cried the baggage
master, delightfully."-. "Ain't he getting it,
thought"
In truth, the unfortunate tramp must
have been getting it with vengeance. for
the tremendous flood of water spouting
from the top of the tank continued to
HAlIB lLS6lI against ll6 lace OF the baggage
car for full three-quarters Of a minute,
which must have been nearly sufficient
to drown any human being on the front
platform. 80 cOpiOus was it that the wa
ter flowed in below the door and threat
ened to inundate the freight.
II that fellow is still alive.n said the
baggagemaster when the cataract had
finally suspended its activity, "he has had
enough to give him dstaste for water
for the rest OF his life. There isn't any
thing that will frighten a man like dose
OF that sort, according to our experience.
Coming on him unawares it scares him
most To death, besides halfdrowning him,
He doesn't know when it is going to stop,
and he has to choose between standing ii
and jumping off the train
When the train slowed up an hour later
near Philadelphia the newspaper man saw
a figure that looked more like drowned
rat than a human being crawl Oft tho
front platform Of the baggage-car and
steal sorrowtully away. Itwas the tramp
who had had a bath as well as a ride at
the expense of the Observation-Disclosures
Star.