Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-14

or them have slowed themselves away
IN cattle ships for Australia, and not
q few have tramped along the coast
towns OF Europe. In England tho hobo
infcsts only the coast towns, for II Is
impossible to steal rides on the rail-
roads, and person caught walking on
the tracks are promptly arrested. In
this country the hobo who has served
his apprenticeship has crossed the CON
tinent at least once. A favorlte route ia
across the country by tho linton Pa
eide. in the spring and summer bring
ing up In Texas, which Is the tramn's
winter rallyins ground. Tired OF such
lonH Journeys, it Is no uncommon
thing for the hobo TO select some short
'run"--New York 10 Philadelphia, for
eNample--and travel over this Till he
becomes too well known to continue
ON the beaten path. Routes that have
college towns on them are favored. for
college boys are generous with their
old clothes.
And as 10 travelling, everybody re-
members HAPPY Jacks" account OF
how he and his partner rode ON the
trucks, Truck riding Is dangerous and
uncomfortable, The best place on an
ordinary passenger train IS the blind
haggnge"-that Is TO say, the front
platform OF the baggage car, which
has no door opening upon st.. on this
the hobo rides secure and comfortable.
Tor even II he Is seen he can not be
uislodgcd, though II the baggage oar Is
next the engine the engineer and fire.
man will frequently amuse themselves
by throwing Jumps Of coal at him II
the train Is one that takes water with
out stopping he VIII be drenchcd, or
course.
The top OF the vestihules OF a vestl-
bule train Is Rood perch for a tramp
but the freight train Is his co~lmon
means of travel, and the empty box
car Is his haven OF refuge. Even in the
box car he is not always secure. He
may be locked In without food. or he
may be mistrcated by train hands.
Worse than that he may be set upon
by desperadoes Of his own class, robbed
OF what little money he has. and. - In
the case OF some men Scranton Red
ana his gang robbed last fan, he MAY
pc compelled TO jump from the NOV
ing train. He leaves tho train. II nos
slble. Just before reaching a town ana
enters the place ON foot. His favoritc
weapon OF defense ~ n coupling min or
a slins'shot. He darcs not carry any
tnlng that is NOT easily disposed o.
Tor II he Is arrested with concealed
weapons on his person he viii receive
an additional sentence. lie has abbre-
Waited names for the railroads. just as
trainmen have, and for towns as we'll, |
baltimore Is "Balty;" Phnndclphi,. |
'Philly;n Plttsburg pitts" and CHI |
NuEbt 'Allls
The slang Of the hobo Is. of course. |
unique. The remark OF a discouraged, |
looking tramp out near B snnlug's. one |
sunday morning. for example would |
be Greek to the unlnitlnted. He wng
complaining OF his hard luck. said he.
went out an tried to bum a hand.
out got two sit downs. an I was
ent any more"
TO bum" is to beg. and n ,hond-
out Is one of the little lunches syinpn-
'Ectc housekeepers make up for hun
sry tramps' He had wanted to collect
snpuEh eHtables 10 last all day. for a
nobo keeps Sunday II he possibly can
not perhaps so much from roiirIoug
sentiments as because the man of ths
that day.
Instead OF Handouts" he had been
invited IN TO sit at q nice. clean table
nd eat a comfortable breakfast and
LEX was against him. The slang OF
ne circus IS current "on the road" too.
u many Of the hohocs follow in tho
axe OF some one OF the innumerable
treatest shows on earth" After
~ It. mas passed, sou may hear such
The RUDE went into the kid ton ana
lotc." =" W. '"Se
That is to say, that the farmer was
SIltNeu OF $40 by shell gambler In "A
ldc show. "Rube" among tho hol,ns
Always farmer and a ton" IL cir.
us slang for tent.
me municipal lodging house is In,
onc's maven Of refuge, but he ran not
tHain longer than three nights He /
wiling 10 saw the four sticks of
'ood for clean bed but he viii mai
i"rh ior his breakfast, He prefers to
Ihe tramp who IS on the road from
sttHsIty may adopt some other occu-
''luh' Out the genuine hobo woul1
"t WORK under any circumstances. Tho
Ad Is n passion with him. and while
e may be persuaded to remain IN town
uIlIk cold winter as soon as snrlng
phes' ana humanity In general feels
iie lohglnE TO 20 on pllgrlmngcs''
mNucer tells about, he will throw civ
ia tnn aside and 10 on tbe ron1
gam, He could not leave II oven II bs
'ahted to, and If he is a genuine hcho
g doesn't want to. '"'
Aroot ana light-hearted, 1 tnlke IN
ne open road" said Walt Iybitm,n
u, Ill., Ine hobo Keeps ON his almless nil
liulages without caro- for the NOR
lw coughing and shiyerlng IN tho &
pid weather, bllstering in tho bcat u
wing the hardest life n man ran ilVc ,
eeause he thinks II isn't WORK. M "
iusc tho road has n fascination 10. "
aturc. "s"''"u ~