The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-12
COMRADES ON FOOT.
A Man and His Wife Walk to
Topeka
From Harper County, Kansas,
and They Sleep
In the Police Station Here-An In
teresting Story of Trampdom
IN New Phase.

Last night James King and wife
slept at the police station in the wOm-
ans ward.
They were not under arrest. but appli-
ed there for lodging and something to
eat, having walked together from Ar
goaia, Harper county, Kansas, a dis
lance of nearly 200 miles in an attempt
to get TO Kansas City.
King bore evidences in manner and
on his hands of being farm la bOrer,
which he said he was.
His wife was plump and good look
ing little woman Both We're neat and
clean and spoke intelIgently and gen
tly-
They We're married but last May.
Police Matron Thorpe found them on
the street, and when they told her their
story, she took them in charge. Re
Iuctantly they went with her to the pO-
lice station, but hunger and cold made
acceptable to them almost any shelter
and any food
The woman wore a gray. neat fitting
dress, long dark cloak over it. a hat
with black bows on it that was a pref
ty hat once, and stout, plain shoes. Her
dark hair was Vel kept and her gray
eyes bore q shade of trouble and a shad-
OW of determination.
The mans clothing was plain and
neat, but he had no OvercOat and Meth
er had gloves. The hands of both We're
scrupulOusly clean.
A Journal reporter talked to them just
a few minutes as they were starting
out TO resume their long walk
The man talked freely. The position
was most unusual for the woman, and
though she answered an occasional
question when it was directed to her,
she talked little.
We We're married in Kansas City last
May, said King, when we were work
ing in q hotel One day a man named
Dustin stopped at the hotel and said he
had farm near Alvin, Harper county,
and wanted a man and wife to 80 there
he wa t-Ea yyraf
good and we took the place after and
my wife had talked it over together.
We thought we saw chance to get
little nome OF our own some time. 1 had
worked on a farm when I was a boy.
and she knew something OF it, too.
THAT was in October He also took
a boy with him from Kansas City. We
mad been there but a snort time when
we found that the farm and everything
on 1t was mortgaged, even the pigs in
the pen.
Three weeks ago he lost it all and we
didn't get cent or any thing to sell.
The boy Jared worse than we did for
Dustin knocked him around and beat
him several times.
Il tried to get work. but there was lit
tie of 1t then, and plenty of idle men to
do it.
We We're IN most serious fix.
Without money 200 miles or more from
anyone We knew, and having no idea
where we would sleep or what we could
get to eat or how.
If we could only get to Kansas
City, said TO my wife, we could get
something 10 co ! can walk there, if [
have TO, but what is going to become Of
you:
guess that was the first time was
very unhappy since We We're married.
put she S got nerve, my Wife has, and
after she had thought a moment, she
answered:
can walk, too, she said, and we
started with nothing but what we have
on our PACKS
Z IoioWed the railroad tracks, ap-
Ply ING At iafin houses for work enough
70 90 70 get something to eat. / seldom
had TO work
We sometimes got to sleep in house
but there We're nights when we were
glad to get a place in the bav in tha
IT was mighty hard walking some