The Portland daily press., 1896-10-08
LITTLE BERT COFFIN's RETURN.
Adventures Of Youth Of Fifteen as q
Tramp.
He Travelled in Freight Cars and on Foot
Like the Prodiga1 of Old He Was Glad
Ca uoy,,o

He Travelled in Freight Cars and on Foot
Like the Prodigal of Old He Was Glad
to Get Home.
For tho last two days there has been In
Portland a youth who will ever after, 1t
Is safe to say, be a salutary adviser to
those boys who are disposed to run away
from home to see the world. The youth 8
name is Bert Coffin, his age about fifteen
years, and his homo Is in Auburn. Five
weeks ago he, with three other Auburn
boys, decided that life about their
beautiful city was altogether too prosaic,
and that in those fair lands beneath the
setting sun there would be greater plenty
and more glorious liberty. Together the
four boys managed to get together about
forty dollars, and with this they departed
without saying good bye.
There was quite an excitement when
their absence was asoertained, and the
police of Portland and other cities were
notified to be on the watch for them.
Three of them have drifted back to
Auburn in the past five weeks, but of
little BertCoffin his parents could get not
a.word. They mourned him as one lost,
thinking that he had probably been
killed by some train on which he might
be getting ride, or be destroyed in
some Of the pit falls that yawn before
Maynard youths.
But two days ago little Bert appeared
IN Portland, anxious to get back to Au-
burn as ever the prodigal son was to get
to the house Of his father; but still too
proud to march up to the door unless his
father should see him afar off and run to
meet him. The senior Coffin being ad-
vised by friend of the prodigal's state
Of mind, did exactly like the father in
the parable, and few to Portland in a
Maine Central train which arrived last
evening.
The wanderings of the adventurous boy
furnish an instructive lesson to all others
like him. When he started out with his
three companions, their money lasted
them until they reached New York city.
Two of them had by this time grown
homesick and gone home; but Bert Coffiu
ana his remaining companion began their
adventures by sleeping in Central park.
Thus initiated they next started for the
South, stealing rides on the freight
trains. They intended to 90 to Georgia,
where they Thoughts the weather would
be warm and where they might get
work. Before this they had tried to get
onto a cattle steamer for London, which
city they wished much to see, but had
failed.
1t WAS not very difficult to get onto a
freight train. The brakemen do NOT
trouble tramps much If the latter get in
to the box cars and keep out of sight.
Young Coffin was surprised both at the
mum Der and appearance of his fellow
passengers. Sometimes there would be
az many as twenty slowed away in one
car. Some would be dirty tramps; but
others would, in outward appearance, be
elegant gentlemen, with we'll fitting
clothes, patent leather shoes and shinsy
silk hats.
Young Coffin travelled SO much in
these box cars, lying on the hard floors,
that he wore sores in the flesh over his
hip bones, and could only rest by folding
his coat under him when he would lie
down. As the weather grew colder be
needed his coat over him, and 30 his
dilemma grew daily more painful.
The train men were not always the
friends of their passengers. 1t was a
common practice for them to direct
tramps to trains going In an opposite
direction from the one they wished to
take. In this way young Coffin, instead
of getting South was taken West, and
finally found himself at Blair, Ohio. His
companion had given up and started
back home before this.
The young adventurer tried several
times to get work but could not. In
deed, he comes back with the idea that
times are much harder there than in
Maine. He says he saw railroad men
who had to support themselves and
families on eighty cents day.
The trainmen sometimes played cruel
jokes on the tramps. One time the train
was stopped fifteen miles from any
station or village, and the tramps were
turned out to foot it.
The young man had on the same suiu
of clothes which he wore away; but con-
sidering his adventures, was remarkably
clean and well kept.
He was perfectly willing to 60 back to
Auburn, and probably will not try the
great world again for some years.