Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-08-23
a 1FKAMP AND MS PAL
THE TRAIL THAT ONE MADE TO GUIDE
THE OTHER.

II Enabled "Appetite BILL" AtseE "s
Term In Jail Was Done. to Unerr-
ingly Follow His Partner FROM
I Cincinnati to Houston.
1--WE have a good many tramps up In
our part of the country" said a sugar
planter. land I've made something OF
study of their peculiarities. The OH
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, so to speak, for the
guidance of partner who might not
put in an appearance for months.
1.-THE first case Of that kind | ever
encountered was rather amusing.
was riding, one spring day, down
road that passes through my place,
when noticed typical hobo indus
triously carving sort of hieroglyphc
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
arrived.
"NIy curiosity was at once aroused,
and determined to find out If possible
exactly what the thing meant, SO pro-
ceeded to collar the fellow, and after a
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
TINT he had passed and was going In
ne 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 policeman in Cincinnati
and when he got out on Sept. ! would
strike south. following 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 nameY
asked.
Its 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 whiskers
and fanny looking wart on one side
Of Ills nose
81 was satisfied from my prisoners
manner that he was telling me the
truth. so took him up to the house.
gave hin, good dinner and sent him
on his way rejoicing.
"Now for the sequel" continued the
planter. Zone afternoon in the fall
was driving home from the station
when passed very dilapldated hobo
with red stubble on his chin and a 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 I saw him stop. scrutinize the
carving and then start of with a new
and confident step. That settled it,
and drove ahead and intercepted him
at the house. half mile farther on.
"'Hello. Bill" said. 'How's your
appetite this EVENING"
appetite? he stammered and gave
such a violent start that be dropped
his gunny sack.
"'Why. yes said I. Perhaps they
didn't feed you very we'll at Cincin-
natl
AT the word Cincinnati be turned
livid and glared around with such evi.
dent intention Of boiling that made
haste to explain.
"'Don't be alarmed l said. 4 met
your side partner a few months ago.
and he told me to look out for you.' 1t
took me some time to dissipate Bills
suspicious. but when finally succeed
ed In convincing him that it was all
right he told me a most interesting
story Of his journey across the coun-
try.
"A professional hobo will follow the
track Of another hobo with an accura.
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-
AANSoCA POSAI anu SOl MIN 10
promise me he would put it in the mail
at whatever point he caught up with
his partner. Less than a month later
received the card. bearing Houston
CrexD date mark; SO presume it was
there they met.
Both of these tramps could read and
write. and l asked Sparks particularly
why bis friend didn't use some brief
message in place Of the hieroglyph.
He replied that 1t would attract too
much attention, and other hoboes
would be likely to add misleading
words. while the little square and tri.
angle passed unnoticed.
"Since then l have encountered two
other nearly similar cases, In each of
which a tramp was leaving a cipher
trail for crony to follow when he got
out OF Jail. and infer that the prac-
tice is tolerahly common. AT any rate
1t Is a curious feature of tramp life
which / have npvor SOM, ,,,o,+;o,,.a =.