The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-22
BICYCLE TRAMP
HAS A GOOD GRAFT
tie Discovers Scheme That Cannot Be
Beaten.
APPAREL HELPS THE GAME on
Explains TO n Shrewd Young Man
How He Works thc pIbiic.. Even
the Police Are His Bupes..Man
Who Wears a Bicycle Suit Can BE
Dirty and Command Respect.

| \ man with u weather worn bicycle
suit went into hotel writing room and
sat down at one of the tables. lie
reached for sheet of paper and began
to write, or at least appeared to be
writing.
Presently two of the men who had
been writing went away, leaving only
the man in the bicycle suit and young
man with dark moustache.
Friend, will you pardon me if l ask
you a question: said the man in the
bicycle suit.
Certainly. Go ahead"
would you be willing to give up a
small piece of money to a man who was
in hard luck?"
What do you mean? Are you
busted?"
Yes, sir; that's what am
''Dou live here in Chicago"
| mo. sir; I'm just passing through"
| well, you've got wheel, haven't
you?"
| Yes, sir: but I'm expecting some
| money t. he forwarded to Milwaukee
and if | soak my wheel | can't get up
| there"
| You can go up on the train"
Yes; but then I'd have to come back
to get the wheel and / want to keep on
north. If you can spare me enough
to get meal and II place to sleep
would be very glad to return the amount
| to you as soon as the remittance reach
| eS me-
No" said the wise young man, shak-
ing his head. Not hit like it. You
do it too Well That's too much like n
speech"
| I'm tellin' you the truth"
HE KNEW THE GAME
NO: you're too smooth. A bike rider
that was really busted and had to make
the touch wouldn't do it like that. I'll
| tell you what ! will do. I'll give you
some money, but it's with The UNDER
standing that | amt bein' worked for
a sucker. and you tell me what your
graft is"
Il don't know what you mean by
| that"
| 'Oh, yes, you do. If you're goin' to
talk that way you get no money out of
me-
| The man in the bicycle suit looked at
the young fellow for II moment and then
| said: I'm bet a dollar you've grated
| in your time"
| That's all right about me. I'm ask
in about you. Are you a bike rider on
| the square,"
| well. the fact is. I haven't bought Il
wheel yet" and he smiled
| ''rhat's what | thought. What's the
| object in wearing the suit?'
| Say, the greatest graft in the world.
| can go anywhere with this suit ON. In
| the country the best thing you ever
heard of. | used to. when | struck a
| country town broke. hang around the
section house or go through the alleys.
! Now when hit town walk right up
the main street and go into the best
hotel and ask if they've got any Chicago
papers. No matter how tough or dirty
| | look it goes. because people think I'm
out on a long ride. | couldn't look any
| worse than some of the regular kind. If
anybody asks me where my wheel is |
| tell EN- | left it at some house out in
the edge of town. But they don't ask
you often. They see you with the suit
and that's enough. Every bike crank
is after you to find how far you've rode
and what kind of Il wheel you've got.
| but that's easy enough. You tell 'em
a hard luck story and you can get most
| any thing-never Il touch, understand
| just a loan. That's good, reasonable
| story. don't you think?-changed my
route a little and won't get any money
till reach some town 100 miles ahead"
| How is it when you get out in the
| country"
| WITH THE WOMEN
I'm stronger there than anywhere
| else. When go to strike a woman for
a handout | don't ask her il she can
| spare me little something to eat.
| That's too much like a tramp. | say:
| How much will you charge me for a
! couple slices of bread and butter and
Il cup of Coffee Now, if man with
money asked that question he might be
running some risk. but | can't get the
worst Of it. Nine times out of ten the
woman says she won't charge me any
thing. If she wants me TO pay I'm at
liberty to say the price is too high and
walk away Its tlr. best scheme in the
world"
II believe it would work.
| Il know il. The woman always
thinks the wheels out in front of the
, house. If she sees you coming on foot
and asks YOU about the wheel you can
\ tell her you left it somewhere back on
| the road to b. repaired. man in Il
| bicycle suit can get u ride on freight
! trains when q regular hobo would be
| pitched oft. it just shows that people
! have some resucct for a mans that's
worth any money. and. Of course. a
man that owns II bicycle has got to be
| ahead of the game little
It's a tough looking suit" remarked
the young man.
'Thc tougher the better. Then people
know you're Il long distance rider and
have been out ON the country roads. I
come mighty near getting into trouble
down near Momence. though. A man
wanted me to try his wheel and tell
him what thought Of it,
cant you ride"
81 should say not How do you s'pose
I'd ever learn to ride? | never saw
the price Of a wheel, leave alone having
one
Don't people ever get on to you?'
"Oh, they may, hut what If they do?
| I've got right to wear any kind of
clothes I want to. Besides. this is
great makeup for beatn' around the
country. sweater lasts you forever
and there's always one way to get long
black stockings"
How long have you been in Chi
cago?'
"rve been here three days. dropp!n
around in different places and giving
that story | told you. How did you
get on?"
STORY TOLD TOO WE'LL.
You told your story too well. You
want to change it little and put more