The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-12

port. an laid around fur two days tryin'
10 git out o. town Finally ] got onto the
roads fur fear o. gittin' ysgged. | seen
that there was another hobo on the other
side o. the beam. but IL was dark an /
didn't cit good look at his face. Al the
first stop We was so cramped that we had
60 climb of went over 10 the Teller.
an seen II was Bill
Il could "a Rugged him I was 70 glad 10
see him
Hello there. Bill. sez I; why didn't
ye speak,
Guess again. pardneT. sex he. Yer
face looks familiar. but I can't call yer
name
why. I'm Pete seq I.
Who's Peter seq he
II looked az him closer when he said
this. but I would a ben wiilin' 10 stake
my life again a handout o. hard biscuits
ira; he vas Gentleman Bill. He was
dressed different. but his face was the
same. even I'm the color O. HIS beard.
Look here. Bill. seq 7. 'le'T stop this
fOolin IL amt hen mOre'n a week sence
I left ye az Houston. Don't ye speak 20
yer friends cause ye got another suit O.
cIo'es%
Never seen We before. oil man. SEE the
feIler.
Il looked at him close that time. an |
seen ne want quite so tall as Bill But
/ told him who Bill IVES. an that I was
goin' 20 meet him in New Orleans, an he
ssid he lowed he'd 20 with me. He want
quite a. good man as Bill. but he was
more talky. He said he'd ben on the road
cause his folks drove him away from
home on account o trouble he'd had with
his brother. But he was better about
gittin' stun TO eat than BIZ. so when we
got into New Orleans we was lOokin' slick
an fat as any men that ever rode on
side-dOor Pullman. We went down 10
the river front where the ships was IN
loadin' bananas. The throwed away the
ripe ones. cause they made the whole
bunch spoil. We made enough fur a
square meal, an finally got to the marine
hospittle
Old Marine Hospital.
IT was a long way after dark when we
got 20 IL. an IL was the gloOmiest old
roost man ever seen. There's a vault
all covered with cement where they
buried the arms an legs of sailors that
ramshackly old hulk. an the wind makes
the derndest noises in the night We ever
heerd. All kinds o. tramps git there
black an white. The Eyetalisns are the
worst, an they'll stick a knife into ye IL
they think we've got the price Of drink.
Il couldn't see whether Bill was there
or not. so this other Teller that looked like
him-Jim. he said his name was-him an
me- lou of in ola 81
All night long the hoboes kept comm in.
an by an by there was fight. They got
to hOllerin' bloody murder, an it looked
as if somebody was gettin' the worst Of 1t.
Jim an me started over to see what was
the matter. l was certain / heerd Bits
voice, an nothin' could keep me away
then.
sure enough. that was who it was, an
he was standin' off a gang that thought
he had money.
I'm here to help We, BILL i EolleTed,
as jim an me come up. Then the others
lii Gus.
Les leave this Of hole seq Bill. We
went outside together, an Jim come up
behind. When We got out into the moon
light l turned around an started to tell
Bill about the Teller tHat looked so muca
like him. l never got no chance To fin
ish. The two stood an faced one another
jim SEE Bill.
Bill" seq Jim.
You turned hooo?' seq Bill.
g Yes SEE jim. five years ago. They
wouldn't let me stay al home after You
left
Both Became Tramps.
Il seen l want necessary about that
time, an vent off little distance After
about hour they come up TO where
stood, an shook hands with me.
Were brothers, Pete. twin brothers.
We mace fools of ourselves over gal,
six wears ago We can't have two noboes
in the same family. You've ben he
means o bringin' US together We've got
a good home an plenty o. money We're
goin' back to make another Try. You can
come with US if We want to. cause We
owe the whole thing to what we've done
Il told EN- no. l always liked the road
I'll be hobo till l die. 1t seems that the
boys had quarrel, an Bill come near
KILN Jim. He eft the country an
want good fur nOthin' cause he was
wOrryil' so. They went back home an
done well. I reckon / wouldn't need 10
beg han GCuts if / should go 20 Bill, an
tell aim / wanted TO stay there the rest
o my life. He's in Illinoy. l amt gOin'
TO tell We his name fur fear yen think
I'm Is in. He's way up now, an I'm a
hobo. But | reckon he don't have no bet
ter time than l do, fur all he's more re-