The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-04-13
A TRAMP AND HIS PAL
THE TRAIL THAT ONE MADE TO GUIDE
THE OTHER.

I'VE have good many tramps up in
eur part of the country" said sugar
planter, land I've made something of a
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 non
sense, of course. but have known sew
eial instances in which one tramp
would leave trail, SO TO speak, for the
guidance of partner who might not
put In aR appearance for months.
1.-THE first case of that kind | ever
encountered was rather amusing
was riding, one spring day, down a
road that passes through my place,
when | noticed typical hobo indus
tri0usly carving a sort of hieroglyphc
on big post standing near the fence
The mark consisted of a square and
triangle side by side. and he was just
putting on the finishing touches as
arrived.
my curiosity was at once aroused,
and determined to find out if possible
exactly what the thing meant. so pro
eeeded to collar the fellow, and after
little vigorous bluffing he told me he
was putting up directions for his part
neF. 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.
Ills partner, according to the story
which | dragged out of him piecemeal,
was doing a six months Jail sentence
for smuggling policeman in Cincinnati
and when lie got out on Sept. would
strike south, following a trail of cary
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.
= It's by rights William Sparks, said
the hobo. but everybody calls him
appetite Bill'' on account of his al
ways being hungry. He carries sack
to pack grub in and has red whiskcrs
and funny looking wart on one side
Of his nose
Il was satisfied from my prisoners
manner that he was telling me the
truth, so l took him up TO the house,
gave him a good dinner and sent him
en- his way rejoicing.
Now for the sequel" continued the
planter. Zone afternoon in the fall
was driving home from the station
I N u mt nt hoI.
With red stubble on his chin and gun
NY sack under his arm. and some ln-
stinct told me that MIR. Sparks, alias
Appetite Bill had at last arrived.
He seemed to be looking for land
marks. and when he reached the big
post | saw him stop. scrutiniZe the
carving and then start off with a new
a0d 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"
Appetite? he stammered and gave
such a violent start that he dropped
bis gunny sack.
why, yes said l. Perhaps they
didn't feed you very well at Cincn.
natl
AT the word Cincinnati he turned
nvff and glared around with such evil
dent intention of boiling that | made
haste to explain
Don't be alarmed, | said. 1 met
your side partner a few months ago.
and he told me to look out for YOU 1t
took me some time 10 dissipate Bills
suspicious but when | finally succeed
ri ia convincing him that il was ali
right he told me a most interesting
story of his journey across the coun-
try.
IA professional hobo will follow the
track of another hobo with IN accura
ey that is curiously suggestive of wood
craft All the way down from Cincin.
Rati Bill had never once lost the trail.
aud before he left gave him an ad
dressed postal card and got him to
promise me he would put il in the mail
at whatever point he caught up with
his partner. Less than a month later |
received the card, bearing Houston
trex.l date mark; SO presume it was
there they met.
Both of these tramps could read and
write, and asked Sparks particularly
why his friend didn't use some brief
message IN place of the hieroglyph
He replied that II would attract too
much attention. and other hoboes
would be likely to add misleading
words, while the little square and tri
angle passed unnoticed
"Slnce then have encountered two
ether nearly similar cases, in each of
which tramp was leaving cipher
trail for crony to follow when he got
cut of jail. and infer that the prac-
lice Is tolerahly common. At any rate
Il is curious feature of tramp life
which have never seen mentioned In
any of the numerous papers and maya
zine articles that have appeared on the
subject during recent years. New Or
leans Times Democrat.
T..
Easily Fixed.
Awful affair at our hotel this after.
noon Cook got angry and cut the end
OF walters nose off with carving