The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-30
RAN AWAY WITH A HOBO.
TEN YBAR-oLD WESLEY DoUGLIs's
LON TRAMP.

ana the Hobo, who Had = Cork Leg, stole
Rides on T~rnins-ults story OF mis- Adventures
This Ia tho history Of the nino days pilgrimage
of Wesley Douglas, who Is ten years old and
has seen tho world. From New Haven TO Bing-
hamton he travelled, three hundred long miles,
In the company Of a man with a cork leg. At
Binghamton he foil into tho hands of the police,
Who telegrophed TO his homo, and scnt him on
hero In charge Of tho trainmen. He was met at
the Hobokon station last evening by his step
father. and taken back to New Haven on the
$3.50 train, a very snd-faced and apprehensive
young traveller. Unless his stcpfather, Charles
for tho ensuing year to the limited confines of
tho Reform School. for this is his doEenth offence
or thereabouts. and Mr.. Bedell Is getting weary
Of chasing him around the country.
you're q nice one, aren't you T. was the step
fathers greeting at the train. Running away
like this and frightening your mother and sister
half to death. They're at home CRYING. What
do you think of yourself"
The thoughts of Wesley Douglas wcro too
painful for words. He dug one grlmy fist into
his eye, wobblod 1t about q bit. and made in
detcrmlnate sounds in his throat. BY tho time
no got on the ferrybont he was feeling bctter,
and no proceeded to a relation OF his adventures,
which may or may not be true, in detail. 1t In
to DO taken into consideration that. on the way
down on tho train. he told the guardian brake
man thrilling and elaborate stories OF tho cork
legged ones robbery of a house; but these tales
he modified greatly in talking on the boat. Here
Is the latest edition Of his story:
Along about 1880 Monday [Juno 21] I was
out spinning top on Spring street half a block
from our house. A man came along kind O.
limpy. He took me by tho hand and said:
"'Come on, young one
"'Wherc tof / says-
"'with me- he says. We're going travelling
First of 1 thought I'd yell. But there wasn't
anybody around to hear. what's the use z I
thought. Besides he might lick me. He's big
ger n me- We went along, the man going
limp. limp pretty fast, and me most running
,Wha makes you walk SO funnSf,. w.
get away and I'll let you see it You can stick
mo. he says; its cork and It amt got NO
Bimeby we stopped and he lot me stick a pin
that by mistake, and he was awful mad. We
bridgeport, hiding around in a lumber car. It
was kind o fun. The mai with q cork leg he
a'You're my kid row, II ANYBODY asks you,
you'll get enough to eat Can you sing OF dance
VI uo . IA " LlhAo q ~ Vooy UNIV
I could do a turn. I thought he meant turn a
s baafSs s iaas &c a shsTS sai { f Ss GiS1 q s mean s PRss:
l amt sure where we slept that night, but I
EHsss IL s ma' We = 1 Ssd a prst. SO sooa SEsak %sn h ae
asked me how l liked travelling. l told him 1
Liked v i all d1 right Sa; nor.v .,o,o, 70 .,or,, IN =.
roads 4 friend 81 mine and he's going to send
weii just LOAF around here and then walk down
1--WE walked TIL I got tired. and then rested.
but the train stopped an awful long time, and
when I woke up q brakeman was going to hit
man; Hit me. but don't hurt the kid ,.
your @TS Ia S + ss .sys. put ets f fIttf. d dswil; w W fh sd
on; get out OF there And he gave me ten cents.
man aaT To ms. T "Eou'l Iio Sc 3 GOOD essi p aiadS &e FAYE bully ihs
old hoboes, you and me-
WHAT hobo = l says.
80 we went on. and next night We slept in
men sleeping in it. and the hobo said it was the
Bowery. There was railroad trains running by
in the M'n ne9t bed i says asEn to the e ork Iesseak man. nan "An
Hello. DO: where'd you pick up the nipper 7
going aaH to pad ~ the Ds Soo se down. 1hs TO a iSs Old IS Saen. we're
What can the kid dol Going to learn him a
inn enough" says tho oork-legged man.
Their he took me req; opt in the h IT. street and took out
Please give me three cents to lake me and
"Folks'd look at me and most all Of them
there would have been more II I hadn't looked
50 clipper. One man gave him nickel and took
the two cents in change. and the hobo swore
just like he did when 1 stuck the pin in his
w wene oE 1ss' The ai ie ESt " ne Foe eai iGs Of Il nSSe essye1 and we We
walked out into the country and got another
train but We got put on that a. was awful
place where there was q hundred men, /
guess. like the place on the Bowery, only
old barn and the other men were all hoboes. and !
was a hobo and their, good old pal. so some of
good place Place to o si lee pn' Next seSt day lazy tI man. the cork as
legged man called Joe. came along with us. We
caught a ride on a wagon. but most of tho way
says we would ask them for something to cat,
but the hobo. he pointed to two fat rocks set ON a
n you're a hobo. and you want to know
the hobo 6O siEns; !, - That That means there's q dog In the
stuck on a wire fence near a house. Joe says:
The me means r.. ne EIStt there n. oors,.rr.d
man. Here. Kiddy, 90 and ask en- for a hand.
out TEL en- you're hungFy.,h ,r ..nd u,v. ~.
pie and cake and lots OF things. as I told her I'd
take some 70 my father and brother, and she le!
me. In6y lauRnod Wnon 1 anne DhcR, ana SAID
/ was n corker. We slept in an empty caboose
that night. oh, l nearly forgot. Before we
found the caboose the two men went and looked
at q house and pushed on the doors. but a dog
barked and they didn't go In.
"'ThRt'd DO two years In tho Jug the cork
legged man says, but i didn't know what he
meant. Next day we got q freight train; then
we walked some more. and one house whore we
stopped they gave us a lot to eat.
"..That's n bully hand.out,' said the hobo. w
ought to put a mark on this. There amt any
here, or maybe II blew down.
They took u stick and stuck \ In the ground
and tied another one across It. That means you
can get things to eat there. There's a lot Of
things TO learn when you're going TO be a tramp
1t was that night We got to Binghamton or
another train. and We went to a hotel there and
slept, but next night we slept down by the river
under a boat. Joe and the cork-legged mar
begged some money, but not much.
"'This ia no good the cork-legged man says
well go on South
w were going to the cars. when Q police
man stopped us and says to Joe and tho othei
Where did you got that boyT
.r rrH b;s my KID the corklessed man says
,"'Is that SO = the policeman aektd me.
"'Eo. 1t amt ] says. for | was awful tired o.
walking, and I'd learned enough to be q hobo OF