The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1908-10-16

snow fickers. Soy how's de brakes down dat
way? De last time me an de Honyak wuz dere
de connie elevated us from the inside of empty
inter cactus garden, four hundred and eighty-wan
miles from grub. We walks de ties fer tree weeks
Den we hits Albuquerque an l near had tub beat
carpet tub git grub. De ole gurrul would NV
had me woikin' only she grubs me foist, beoar she
brings out de woik tools Den digs"
"Dere's muffin like dat dere desc days Dey
leaves de pies an eats out in de opun an de DO
wot can't freeze to wan meal an hour don't git no
soft wOids from dis lulu"
That animated brilliant and engrossing roper
toire only one of several thousand of the same
variety, which comprised hobo "reminiscences told
by members of the great army of the unwashed
which assembled in convention not many months
ago at Clifford Ill.,, for the National Hobo re-
union.
Small tramps fat tramps, tall tramps, short
tramps red-headed ones, blondes, colored tramps
loWdoWn tramps tramps with high personal re-
gard for their vOcaions and others who were
sneaky and might be caught working were it not
for the Watchfulness of their brothers, all assem-
bled in solemn conclave to worship their goddess
Rest.
These sons of rest-but they were not all sons
there were several daughters of restall paid their
respects to the cause for which they are fighting
in their own tactess way. They for the nine,
eenth time swore loyalty to the associations mot
to- Work, washing and worry are weapons of the
devil and he who would knowingly or Intentionally
invite the descent of his platonc majesty in that
manner, he 1t is who is no true Son of Rest
Slothful Sam President Weary Willie. Ragged
Rufus, Tatered Tom. Reeking Reginald, Dinky
Dan, the best dressed DO in the association
Handout Hank, Pieiace Peter Looping Louie. Walk
ing Waiter, Prayed Francis, Mirthful Mike, Tin-Can
Teddy, and all the rest of the influential brethren
of the Fraternal Order of the Unwashed. were
there.
The attendance as large as usual There
were some missing. of course. Roll call revealed
the fact that Secretary Signing Sinkers was I'm.
avoidably detained by friends among the authori-
ties at the Despaines street police station in Chi
cago He was booked as "vag" much to the un.
washed chagrtn of President Weary Willie, who in
the course of his opening address remarked that
was DE woist coise dat ever put fort on dis
susetle, tuh tink dat one Nv de most necessary
polsSons OF de order should be compelled tub miss
dis iutellergen' meetin'
All the Old officers Of the association were re-
elected, the minutes of the meeting being inscribed
upon the brain of President Weary Willie until Sec
rotary Sinkers should be released from his soionrn
in Chicago. The members of the association, the
most easily satisfied crowd on earth then ad
journed. This action consisted Of the chief execu
tive dropping into sound sleep Others did the
same.
The following day the annual games Of the or
ganlzatlon were given. There were several limo
Vations, hitherto not introduced The long distance
snoozing contest drew out several hundred entries
and 1t required three days before the judges we're
able to render decision Wakeful Waffles was
returned victor eventually, but up to the time of
writing he was still snoozing nosily, utterly ignor-
ant OF the honor which his happy faculty had
thrust upon him.
The handsomest hobo contest was captured by
Dnky Dan. who in little address to the slumber-
ing contestants in the long-dstance sleeping con.
test declared that in the absence of any prize, the
honor alone gave him plenty Of satisfaction.