The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-04-06
A TRAMP AND HIS PAL
THE TRAIL THAT ONE MADE TO GUIDE
THE OTHER.
1t Enabled aAppetite BILL" After His
Term In Jail Was Done, to Unerr-
ingly Follow His Partner From
Cincinnati to Houston.


Term In Jail Was Done, to Unerr-
ingIy Follow His Partner From
Cincinnati to Houston.
eve have a good many tramps up in
our part Of the country" said sugar.
planter, land I've made something of q
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 trail, to speak, for the
guidance of partner who might not
put in an appearance for months.
"The first case of that kind / ever
encountered was rather amusing.
was riding, one spring day, down a
read that passes through my place,
when noticed a typical hobo indus
triously carving a sort of hieroglyphic
on big post standing near the fence.
The mark consisted of square and
triangle side by side, and he was just
putting on the finishing touches as I
arrived.
and determined to find out if 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 in
the direction of the point of the TRAN
gle.
Ellis partner, according to the story
which l dragged out of him piecemeal,
was doing six months Jail sentence
for smuggling policeman in Cincinnati.
and when he got out on Sept l would
strike south, following a trail of carv
ings on water tanks, depots, barns and
fenceposts. When the first tramp
struck good place to loaf, he proposed
to stop and wait for. the other to catch
up.
/ What's your partners name?'
asked.
1 cts by rights William Sparks said
the hobo, but everybody calls him
i appetite Bill" on account of his al
ways being hungry. He carries sack
| to pack grub in and has red whiskers
and funny looking wart on one side
of his nose
81 was satisfied from my prisoners
manner that he was telling me the
truth, so took him up to the house,
gave him a good dinner and sent him
on his way rejoicing.
] "Now for the sequel" continued the
planter. "One afternoon in the fall
was driving home from the station
when passed very dilapidated hobo
with red stubble on his chin and gun
ny sack under his arm, and some in
stinct told me that Mr.. Sparks, alias
Appetite Bill had at last arrived.
He seemed to be looking for land
marks, and when he reached the big
post l saw him stop, scrutinize the
carving and then start off with new
and confident step. That settled it,
and drove ahead and intercepted him
at the house, half mile farther on.
"'Hello, BillY said. 'How's your
appetite this EVENING"
"'AppetiteY he stammered and gave
such violent start that he dropped
his gunny sack.
".Why, yes,' said l. Perhaps they
didn't feed you very well at Cincin
NATL
Z cat the word Cincinnati he turned
liyid and glared around with such evi
dent intention of boiling that made
haste to explain.
| 4
"'Don't be alarmed I said. I me-
your side partner few months ago
and he told me to look out for YOU L
took me some time to dissipate Bills
suspicious, but when l finally succeed
ed in convincing him that it was al
right he told me most interesting
story of his journey across the coun
= try.
"a professional hobo will follow tn
track of another hobo with an accln'a
:. cy that is curiously suggestive of wood
craft All the way down from Cincin
natl Bill had never once lost the trail
and before he left gave him an ad
dressed postal card and got him t
:. promise me he would put it in the mai
at whatever point he caught up wit
MS partner. Less lIlau llOulu laleF
received the card, bearing a Housto
: Wex.) date mark; so presume it wa
! there they met.
"Both Of these tramps could read an
write, and l asked Sparks particular
why his friend didn't use some brie
:. message in place Of the hieroglypl
J, He replied that it would attract to
much attention. and other hoboe
would be likely to add misleadin
;. words, while the little square and tr
: angle passed unnoticed.
"Since then | have encountered tw
other nearly similar cases, in each {
:. which tramp was leaving ciphe
: trail for crony to follow when he 81
out of Jail, and infer that the pra
:, tice is tolerably common. At any raj
y it is curious feature of tramp Lii
which l have never seen mentioned
: any of the numerous papers and mag
y zine articles that have appeared on tt
= subject during recent years. New 0