New-York tribune., 1896-01-19
THE STORY or PETE.
A BIG HEARTED NEGRO TRAMP AND so.E OF HIS
ADVENT RES.

ADVENTURES.
Pete made his frs. recorded appearance a, little
town IN Mississippi named Coffeevle 4; this
place a party OF four boarded what they suppoIed
the blind baggage" but when the train had
started and they were fairly OF, they discovered
that 1t was a baggage-car with the door wide open
and piled up to the top with ch.ckon-ccops
The party consisted Of two Chicago bows who had
run away from home and were going to New-Or-
leans. ugly. unshaven and d.sreput abe-looking
bum" and Pete. Pete and the Chicago boys were
quiet but the bum insisted talking. All efforts TO
keep him quiet were n vain. ana the baggase-mas-
ter hearing the noise. went out to investigate.
When he saw the "deadheads" on the platform, he
made them all go into the and give
count Of themselves The two boys told him that
they had from Chicago ard that they were
going NewOrleans to try and get job. Pete
told the truth and said that Re was on his way to
Galveston. and that he had been tramp ever since
he could remember and expected to remain one the
rest OF his life So far all well. until the bum
began his story II he had followed Petes example
and told the truth the four would probably have
been allowed 10 ride 10 the next station. but in
stead OF beginning lis tale with the obvious fact
that he By profession tramp. he said that
H. was telegraph operator. This was too much
for the good nature OF the baggageman, and he
turned the four over TO the tender merc.es OF the
conductor. As the latter came pompously down the
aisle of the smoking-car Pete turned 10 his COM
git off dis yere train right now. or else reckon
that there con.'ll jes' shove off hisseif."
Pete right and In few moments all four
were watching the rapidly receding lights OF the
train II about o'clock in the morning and
depressingy hot. Pete and the boys took of
their coats and down by the side of the track
10 review the situation. The telegraph operator
disappeared in the darkness. There Was nothing for
it but walk the nine miles to Granada. the next
town More than half the way the track was built
on trestles over dark and gloomy swamps and the
walking was corresponding.y hard. Had it not
been for Pete the journey would have been we'll
nigh unbearabie. but he kept up spirits with in
Vulnerable interesting Anecdotes Of his travels and
experiences.
Tho boys had noticed that one OF his hands was
twisted ou; of shape. and that three OF the fingers
had been partly off. and they asked their
companion to explain how the injury WAS received.
In reply to their inquiries he told them story OF
horrible suffering When he was m,re boy, in en-
deavoring to steal a ride he had ei.scorced himself
on the trucks of a freight car and s,eadled himself
by holding iirmly TO the brake rod. He got along
finely. and he had not had any res; for over fifty
hours he went to sleep Although he being
whirled along the rate OF twenty-five miles an
hour between the wheels and the floor or a freight
car his sleep was a sound and disturbed
only BY feeling of intense pain in the hand that
held the brake rod. The brakeman at the top of the
car had the brake suddenly and the chain had
been wound round and round Pete's hand. Ii had
been set hard as he man above could turn 1t.
and make matters worse. the gravel and dust
thrown up by the motion OF the train were fairly
ground into the crushed and bleeding hand For
nearly fifteen minutes the brake remained set. and
every tug and strain Of the sent the chain fur
ther into the quivering flesh. When the train was
at last brought to standstill and the brake re-
leased IN. black boy drew almost shapeless
mass from the rod. Crawling from the car. he
MANAGED TO find llnd-heartei doctor who was
Pete was. as Usual, busted lie never rode on
When ciranada was reached. the two boys from
Chicago wen to the hotel ana offered 10 see ins'
6s ar yerc c5oT done gone been on de road too
long Ter to njoy de luxarles oh lie Et should Sit
get dis chile out again; neber in dig wSri III get se,
de first train dat come, long gS, neper csr yys
ttat stood on the siding , -, as s.v
The next time that fee turned h nprd up Tss ssme one
clambering into he:r car and looking gnS ua aT =, the
a4knss 1ns at anS af his 9is face ia y By
of astoh:shment and delight New-orieans was was one one
Sansd of hss With Gf sveTy sSe%Dnsh nsh
an the city y s'in a they ds soSd he boys could
hin 10 walk ss n de- S sdSf Ssm whs
Gentlemen down dis way dent allSw no .G coIhs hs
ike chile walk VIII dsm nsS sG rse came "S% on he he
Would steal knew where but in the s
morning no mater ns where ers sAs far they
had left him the night bsf0retn3ey s3 Toua accsn
denly hear petes voaes' wlle peasant . evenin
Tire time OF real trial for PeIe's dislnterestea
sriendshin was soon come. The boys money
@ o,,t and they were left nine hundred
miles from home without cent Ther coats and
uais.coats were in the hands OF a pawnDroker ana
With Them went their last hope OF obtaining money
until they could hear from home Pete came to
The rescue The boys were too proud 10 beg, ana
pete aid the begging for them: and IN this act OF
kindness he saw nothing unusual. About mealtme
he would disappear and his return his pockets
would be fairly bulging with the food that he had
managed 10 secure at friendly backdoors Even
then ne would not let the boys eat In the streets.
but would lead them to some quiet spot where the
eyes OF the curious could not reach them. and.
pulling out his load OF handouts. would give them
to the boys and then retire to little distance and
eat his own slender meal. No amount Of persua.
sion could move him from this practice. He had
his own rules OF etiquette and he lived up to them.
When at last the money to the boys from
home. Pete told them he was going to leave town
for Galveston. In spite OF the most desperate ef.
forts he could not be prevailed upon to accept
cent OF the money. but, bidding them hearty
goodby he hurried around the corner and was lost
from sight The boys have never tried running
away from home since then Once was enough.