The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-03-30
ramp'SEx
citing Time.
on 4 HOHE-SEEkERy ENClESlO,
A. No Related II TO oNicer It'll, IN
Seattle Nj, Trip TO the
Far west.

against second avenue lumber pile.
Police Ellis passed
Get out Of that" growled he.
Cant yer honor" responded the
tramp. I'm sufferin' from dinsen-
sions Of the spine"
what's that yc say
MY epine's broke. I've been n
rallroadln' out West"
stealth rides. ehY''
Nav ] was takin' In n home
seekers excursion TO Seattle. There
were too many pillow people and
clerks In the coaches To- suit the
tastes 81 a boston man. 20 I rode
on trucks. I've Travelled all my
NE. but never struck such mean
luck before"
''fows that"
Well you see. about a week ago
! found the jumping FROG railroad.
II runs about south OF Montana. IA
never met this railroad before. 30 I
didn't know Il had a tough name.
All the other roads In that region
we're trying to get along smooth as
possible through the world. but the
Jumping Frog wasn't that kind. II
had cantanksruns ways and tried 10
ride over everything and everybody,
II always would climb over a potato
hiii rather than GO around II. II
there vas n job lot Of oid.nin ties
for sale anywhere In the country
the jumping FROG bought EN- az
and tried to run over 'em. Idaho
napiin's and Wyoming sawioss was
all iumhled uD together, an you
can guess how the rails lay 90 top
Of 'em.
Il didn't know these things when
got aboard the train. but I found
'efu out som afterward. 1t was
o'clock at night when We pulled out
u the station. The train Was an
hour late. My pari and was sit
tin on the forard brake truck Of
tho ladies car an hanEln onto the
reda with a tight grip. I've
Travelled considerable under coaches.
an It's ma observation that sir
wheel trucks are the best for pass
enEers. smoker trucks are four
wheel and too bobby. you see
when the train save lie good-by
hiss at the station agent and the
brake shoes let iaose. Ne didn't take
long 10 set started full tilt. noticed
pretty quick mat the section fore.
man hadn't been tendin' to business.
an the road Was awfuiiy scaiioped.
The carload Of farmers over my
head tumbled ana rocked about In
a horrible manner. II was enough 80
scare the pew -holdsrs 10 ray moth
In. % the citizens ridln' beneath.
Y held onto the braks-rod like
grim death. sxpectin' every minute
% be knocked OF an hurt
The shocks when the wheels hit
the track we're AWFUL. Zig ties and
little ties whirred by under our legs
COO a minute. an the sand flew up
In great clouds an fiief our eyes.
got scared. There were bitches on
both sides 90 the track an felt
sure the engineer would dump the
prospect hole"
Hold on iherei" roar.d the police
man. breaking IN on the story. do
you mean to tell me that this road
ran over prospect holesg''
.sure's I'm Twin. Il did" replied
the tramp grAveiy. AN that wasn't
the worst Of il either. We struck an
open switch hve minutes later an
went tearin Of over the country.
leapln' bitches. knockin' down corn
stalks an sreckln wire fences. The
engineer dtdnt seem 10 care a cent.
Perhaps % was a short cut across
the country an he could make up
time As We Numbered along over
the fields W led TO my pard an
asked him II he'd ever Travelled such
road before. lie was answerin
when we struck a new plowed field
an the bouncin' grew 40 bad that
his conversation got mixed upside
down"
The policeman looked puzzled.
Then he asked. Does mans talk
really get tangled up under a carr
Yes" responded the tramp.
Sometimes the adiectives get so
badly mixed up with the adverbs
that there's no sorting them out.
I've known my pronouns TO turn
head over heels under car and
reach my pard right side up. It's
strange"
so should think" responded the
policeman. IT that western road
Of yours tangles up "a mans talk 80
badly. u will make the passengers
tongue tied By the by. You said
something. too. about the cars leav-
ing the track, and striking of thro'
the fields. DO you think I'm from
Tacoma to swallow such bloody
ile2"
ITS a fact, though" declared the
tramp. looking aggrieved. I'm Civ
in YOU straight goods. We didn't
run long over the meadows. though.
The conductor got mad, pulled the
bell rope and twisted down the
brakes. Then he jumped off to
the ground. ran w To the engineer
an iawed him for leavln' the right
o. way an Hteamin away with the
company's property
The policeman's eyes hlazed ang-
rily.
you're from Chicago. aren't
You ." he demanded roughly.
Yes. was born there"
- thought 40. Now. I'll give YOU
lust one minute 90 pick yourself up
and hustle away for the Great
Northern track Don't YOU stop
lrottin' till YOU reach home. eltherl"
I'm on. your honor. ! never
thought, though. that tcllIn' a little
bit OF railroad experience was con-
trary to the laws OF Seattle. You're
getting awful strict out here. speei-
ally on week days
And with this parting shot the
tramp ambled away,
Ouaar cninridaucea