Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-04-20
A TRAMP AND HIS PAL
THE TRAIL THAT ONE MADE TO GUIDE
THE OTHER.

IT Enabled "Aopetite BILL" After His
Term In Jail Was Done, to Unerr-
inrIy Follow His Partner From
Cincinnati to Houston.
eve have a good many tramps up In |
our part of the country" said sugar
planter, "and I've made something OF |
study of their peculiarities. The old
idea that they carve marks and signs
on fences that can be read by all other
members of the fraternity is pure nom
sense. of course, but have known sew
eral instances in which one tramp
would leave a trail, so to speak, for the
guidance of a partner who might not
put in an appearance for months.
.The first case of that kind l ever
encountered was rather amusing.
was riding, one spring day, down a
road that passes through my place,
when / noticed a typical hobo indus
triously carving a sort Of hieroglyphic
on a big post standing near the fence.
| The mark consisted Of a square and
triangle side by side, and he was just
| uniting ON the finishing touches as
| arrived.
| "My curiosity was at once aroused,
and I determined to find out II possible
exactly what the thing meant, so pro-
ceeded to collar the fellow, and after
little vigorous bluffing he told me he
was putting up directions for his part
ner, who would be along some time IN
the fall. He assured me that the marks
meant nothing in particular. except
that he had passed and was going ID
the direction of the point of the TRAN
gle.
His partner, according to the story
which dragged out of him piecemeal
was doing a six months Jail sentence
for smuggling a policeman in Cincinnati
and when he got out on Sept. l woulo
strike south, following trail of cary
ings on water tanks. depots, barns anc
fenceposts. When the first TRAMP
struck good place to loaf, he proposed
to stop and wait for the other to catcl
up. .,
".Whats your partners name?
asked.
Its by rights William Sparks, salt
the hobo. but everybody calls hin
"Appetite Bilr' OH account of his al
, ways being hungry. He carries sacl
4 to pack grub in and has red whisker
and a funny looking wart on one sid
of his nose.
1l 81 was satisfied from my prisoner
manner that he was telling me tn
truth, so took him up to the house
gave him a good dinner and sent biz
on his way rejoicing.
"Now for the sequel" continued tn
/ PLANTER. Zone afternoon in the fall
was driving home from the static
when passed very dilapidated mob
with red stubble on his chin and gur
nv sack under his arm, and some IL
stinct told me that Mr.. Sparks. ala
: Appetite Bill had at last arrived
He seemed to be looking for lane
marks. and when he reached the bi
post / saw him stop, scrutinize I'll
4 carving and then start off with me-
4 and confident step. That settled !
5 and drove ahead and intercepted hi
\ at the house. half a mile farther on.
I "sHello BillY l said. 'How's yor
appetite this evening?
"AppetiteY he stammered and gay
such violent start that he droppe
his gunny sack.
"sWhy, yes said I. Perhaps the
didn't feed you very well at Cincil
NATL
cat the word Cincinnati he turne
livid and glared around with such ev
dent intention Of boiling that / mac
haste to explain.
"sDon't be alarmed l said. i m
your side partner a few months ag
and he told me to look out for you
took me some time to dissipate Bill
suspicious, but when l finally succee
ed in convincing him that it was
right he told me a most interestlr
story of his journey across the cou
try.
t. "a professional hobo will follow II
track of another hobo with an accur
cy that is curiously suggestive of WOO
craft. All the way down from Cinci
NJ natl Bill had never once lost the ira
" and before he left l gave him an
y dressed postal card and got him.
promise me he would put it In the ma
at whatever point he caught up wi
his partner. Less than month later
y received the card, bearing a Houstt
CTex.) date mark; so presume it WI
there they met.
"Both Of these tramps could read al
7 write, and asked Sparks particular
m why his friend didn't use some brl
M message in place Of the hieroglyp
M He replied that it would attract t.
IN much attention, and other hobo
m would be likely to add nisleadil
m words, while the little square and t
I'm angle passed unnoticed
:; "Since then | have encountered ty
IN other nearly similar cases, in each
- which a tramp was leaving ciph
~, trail for crony to follow when he 6
m out Of Jail. and infer that the pra
I'M tice is tolerably common. AT any "a
lmm it Is a curious feature Of tramp Ii
W which l have never seen mentioned
n any of the numerous papers and mag
or zine articles that have appeared on t
a subject during recent years. c
a. leans Times Democrat.