The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-19

the car. For a space of about six feet
under the middle of the car they drop
down far enough for a man to squeeze
between them and the car, and here is
where the hobo hides in luxury and
content. The rods cut into the flesh
and the dust caused by the suction OF
the train swirls around in dense
clouds, but with his hat drawn over
his face the tramp calmly rides on.
specializing on how he will get enough
beer at the end of his journey to Stake
his enormous thirst
Once on the rods the ride is danger
Gus, as freight trains do not glide over
the rails like the heavily constructed
passenger coaches, but rather progress
py series OF jerks and wiggles that
jolt the wayfarer like a small boy on
a truck horse. Nevertheless. the old
timers work themselves into as COM
PORTABLE a position as possible and
sink into peaceful slumber. The ad-
vantage OF riding the rails or "glom-
ming the gun'ales." as the art is fire.
quently styled. is that the traveller is
beyond the hands OF the brakeman as
long as the train Is moving. and per-
sonal suasion is required to dislodge
nim- In the tramp season the brake
men make a careful search under the
cars before the train starts and fire.
quently station themselves along the
line or cars until the train is In mo-
tion and the engineer has got up some
speed. This precludes the possibility
OF giomming" while the train is at a
standstill. and as the tramp has to
wait until the brakeman is on the train
ne must make q flying leap to reach
his perch If the oidtimer can get
Doth hands on the outside rod he is all
right. no matter how the train is
speeding. The train jerks him of his
h.
draws him in under. All he has to do
is to see that he Is drawn I'm on the
rods and not under them. II he misses
the track walker finds a mess on the
ralis and the coroner collects his legal
Zee Tor looking at the same.
Riding the Rods
Riding the rods Is the first thing the
wancerer has to learn, and Ii Is as
tonisning how quickly they take to 1t.
veterans beasting of their prowess as
sert that they can ride the numbers
on the box car or make a safe and
speedy journey on the bell cord OF the
passenger. Every time the train stops
the passengers beneath must Jump out
and scurry on ahead Of the engine.
plant himself in the ditch and swing
under as the train is passing.
coming into towns OF some size he
must swing out while the train is NOV
ing. and this is much harder than
swinging in- Freight trains usually
slow up at crossings outside the city
limits. but the railroad police know
this and their presence makes 1t i'm
possible for the tramp to utilize this
convenience
To the ordinary traveller alighting
from the steps OF a passenger coach
moving eight miles an hour is an ex-
perfence that requires long debate. but
the hobo viii kick himself free, roll
along the right OF way. pick himself up
well satisfied with life.
The next question to be settled Is
that Of food. and every housekeeper
has had sufficient experience to know
the ingenuity or the story that Is re-
cited II begins with lady" and runs
the whole gamuf Of misfortunes. blast
ed hopes. sickness, death. injustice and
bad luck Seven out OF eight house
keepers turn the tramp away accord
ing to the statistical members OF the
<uild. and as houses cannot be ap-