The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-23
John Douglas, Literary Hobo, Lets Little Real
Light in on the Underworld, as Seen in the West

| where country daisy with pink eye
broWs plays on $50 organ; and every
Saturday night they will be in. the lit
tie pool room. smoking ttspeckled
Tronts'' and sprinkling peanut shells
on the floor. They will eat out Of your
hand, like a dog, when they are broke
on the road, but a. good fellow who
get cent out of them if they were
CATS
That other bunch spxawling around
have evidently eaten, as two are pull
ing at pipes and two are inhaling
tcigs..'' They are more alert in theirl
appearance and ways, and the black
shirt is more in evidence. Those i'm
p!ements sticking out Of one fellows
! hip pockets would look to Jay mar
h h 70 and g. nag n t9G n but but f gavs st
slickers, and callipers Of the iron
molder. You can bet, he is good me-
chanic, good fellow, and smooth
drinker. That s why he is on the road
One Of the others has little, tur-
key" with him; open it and you will
find a sign painters layout. If you
want sign painted on the gable Of a
mill; the name Citizens Bank in
gold leaf on a window, or big glass
OF beer with the word "Welcome' de-
plcted on. the screen door of saloon,
this is the lad to do it and take most
Of it out in booze, too.
The fastest one Of the bunch is the
cook who never refused man some
thing to eat in his life. J(Ahem.) The
gazabo who looks as if he had walked
hundred miles Is the brakey who
never threw a hobo off a train in his
life.
These are men with a. trade or two
at their finger ends, or who can work
at several branches Of skilled labor.
The mechanic is good head on the
they have anything; you are welcome
to. eat with them, and il you need
shirt you can have theirs. Ia
How welcome in the jungles is the
old-time typo" who jollies along
catching little job Of lob work here
and there. The cigarmaker-I guess
ne doesn't get the glad hand when he
drops in, rehs
That posse, over there is getting sup
per. Let's ramble over there. There
is our pal who was up town, and you
can see by taking birdseye view
that you are among the old-timers now.
These are no amateurs; these-travel-
stained and weatherbeaten tho they
be-are at home, happy and confident.
Mother. Earth for a couch, the captious
canopy. Of the skies to speculate upon
at night, when, the evening meal
I scoffedy" they lie at ease.
/ Prate about your ttcall of the wild
! your wanderlure, ," t1oaf and In.
ylte your soul, - :" getting close to ma
lure mere are your devotees, your
votaries, but-fatal blight-here are
no aesthetics, no authors, no artists.
/ These are lDi1prirns withni,t' q Maooo
knights nearing no tomb but their
4 own. e
In that big can which once contained
coal oil is a 9 ulligan ~ rich con.
coctioD}sef stewed beef, potatoes, onions
and couple Of cans Of tomatoes: and
thea a fcollcannion,' constructed OF
boi1ed potatoes, mashed with the gravy
fried out Of some fat bacon, to which
has been: added some raw onions sliced
as thin as quarter, and stirred into
the the hot potatoes along with dozen
dishes. with some Java boiled at the he
I fire Of freedom, cooled by the air Of
liberty and drunk out of a can with
one end melted off, are enough to make
la vegetarian fall by the wayside.,
| While they are soothing their
One thing about them, you will notice,
they are all clean. I don't mean their
clothes or casual appearance, I mean
iokesmiths Notwithstanding; the genu-
h mode ZEE fgsvsas the a aSid habts saa
life naturally tend to soil him, but his
first thought on making a long jump,
is to- hunt water and wash up. even
take a bath if possible and clean his
clothes if needed III. a p