Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-11
WHERE ONE HOBO RODE.
Was All Right Until He Struck tn.
Fire.

From the Memphis Scimitar.
Mr.. Henry Hooper. a ST. Louis railroad
man who was in Memphis recently. while
talking with a reporter, related a curious
incident of his early road life which hap
pened while he was braking on a railroad
which ran out of ST Louis.
In 1Sf'." said Mr.. Hooper Il was rim.
ming on a freight between st. I,ouis and
oeudia MO. and 1t was during that win
Ter mat L ran across something that laid
i, hoi over al ever saw in the way of ho-
oohs. Now. OF course, I've seen buns
riding IN all ways and places imaginahIe
ana to see man hanging to the rods of a
1aSt ire1ghtS or perched on the pilot is rot
surprising to me. but this-well let me tell
we mad been some time out of Sedalia.
i hitting pretty good gait toward St Louis
Ina winter the hobos along the line of
eLe Mop were fright and the whole
crew was Kept busy chasing them of the
train. AS far as I was concerned person-
ally, they could have all had .transnor-
tation. for have been on the road myself,
and believe that when a man is wiIijna 70
take such big chances of life and linn IN
get over the country fellow need not nut
himself out of his way to find him
But. then. the company had different
views IN regard to the matter and we bad
TO chase EN- or lose out That night and
1t was cold enough to freeze a polar bear.
made a dozen poor devils unload from
tne decks and rods. and felt sorry for
every one of them when they hit the grit
through the snow. OF course, this sounds
TO you like pipe coming from an old
shack, but it's so.
We'll, it wasn't long before we pulled
into JEFF City. and while the engineer
oiled around 1 started out with two of the
crew to chase hobos Just as we got to
the end Of the train Old Brennan, the finest
eagle eye, who ever jerked a throttle,
called to Dan Hines, his fireman, to back
up. so that he could OIL and wipe his links.
Dan was cleaning his fire at the time so.
giving 1t final swipe with his slash bar.
ne backed up. But. being a little careless.
he pulled back too far, bringing the pilot
halfway over the pile Of red-hot Goals he
had just raked from the firebox
Just about that time thought old man
brennan was going to throw fit. and I
got pretty severe shock myself. Before
Dan could let go the throttle it seemed to
me oedlam had broken loose under that
engine.
me out! Move her up! Oh, Lord. I'm
burnin' uD" The sounds came from Under
the pilot Rushing round to the front we
saw hobo, not on the pilot, but squirming
around on the cross braces underneath IL.
yelling for all that was in him.
I'm moment Dan had moved the ma
chine so as to put the poor fellow away
from the fire, and while he beat out with
his dirty paws his blazing coattails he still
cussed. coughing all the while like an en-
CINE coming up grade.
How in Sam HILL roared old Brennan
not reiishing the dressing down the hobo
gave him. How in Sam Hill did you git
under my pilot?'
II get here when this bloomin' tea
kttle was over de pit at Sedana; but
youse fellows needn' try to barbecue me
for dat need YOU?
oh. but old Brennan was wrathy.
Come out O. that. we dirty porch climber.
or III set we back over the fire.
How en- git out wild dis track under
me? the hobo yelled back. .Tink en- die
trough it?'
Brennan saw that it was impossible for
him TO come from under the pilot till
another round house was reached This
enterprising tourist had crawled into the
pilot while the engine stood over the Dit
in the Sedalia round house. and of course
could not get out till another pit was placed
under him. Although he had plenty OF
room to sit, 1t was a very hazardous place
to ride, for in a wreck death would be GER
tain. When we reached Chamois twenty
five miles further on. where there was
round house. the poor devil was released,
but he was a sight to see. His coattails
were burned off. his whiskers and hair
were snged. one Of his lamps was groggy
from sulphur smoke and flying grit. and
on the whole. to quote old man Brennan,
he looked like travelled top string on
rainy day"