The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-12-01
INCIDENTS IN LIFE
Of HIKING NELL
STRANGE CAIRO VISITOR SUR,
PRlsED SCHOOL PEOPLE
NEAR MACON, MO.
WAS SKILLED ORGANISE
Refused to Give Her Name-Her
Death at Illinois Town Ended
Career of Years as
Tramp.

The ST. Louis Post-Dispatch's Ma
con, Mo-, correspondent, in recent
issue OF that paper, tells of an cpl
sode in which "Hyking Nell figuref
prominently. This is the woman
whose doings in and about Cairo the
past few months interested many PEG
lie and who died about ten days ago
at Pittsfeld, H. The episode in
question probably happened short
time previous to the woman's advent
in Pittstield The following is the
story which was accompanied by a
ralf tone likeness of the woman
Macon, Mo, Nov 26.-The other
night. when the literary exercises at
the district school, near kaseyvil.e
we're about to start the chairman,d
covered the regular organist was alb
sent. The chairman made the fae5
known and called fer a volunteer. For
several minutes there was no re
Spouse and then a seedily dressed
woman, a stranger. arose in the rear
tf the room and said:
IF you all wont look TO hard at
my tags I'll try my hand at your
nerry-maker.'
The remark was greeted with clap
Ding Of hands and cries of Good
The audience supposed it was young
man in the neighborhood who hal
masqueraded' as down.and-out WON,
in for the occasion But they were
shaken in their surmises after the
-s-nger played one piece There
were iou1 caSs for Something else
The unknown in tatters complied
Those who heard her said they hal
never listened 10 sweeter music than
hat PLAYED by this strange woman in
ags. They couldn't. understand ii,
-iut we're perfectly willing to let her
lay ON for the singers, The sacred
songs wer1 accompanied by a der'
ouch on the organ. so evidently the
work of a skillful artist that all
crowded about to congratulate ana
SIX questions when the entertainment
was over,
Just Saw the Lights.
"Who are your" Where are yo1
rom" 80 glad to have you with u.s.
YOU must cC'ne gain"
I'm Hiking Nell, and | just stop
@ed as was passing. cause seen
;ghts in the window. IF you're
through with me I'll be moseyIag
long
Sic started to leave, but they made
-er stay until they took up a collec-
ion, which amounted to several dol.
iars Hiking Nell" carefully slowed
away about her dress somewhere,
and men waved her hand.
so long" she said, and wandered
eff in the night alone.
Hiking Ser was in Macon few
lays ago. having been driven to seek
the shelter of the city jail by a storm
he was on fer way she said, from
Sew York to San Francisco, and then
would probably rlght-about-face and
travel whence she came.
Trying For A No. is Record.
TO interested interogatries while
in jail, she proudly stated that she
vas a professional tramp and that If
she lived long enough she hoped to
exceed 4 No rs enviable record a.
q hiker She said she was educated
IN convent at Atchison, Kas, ami
old her listeners that her speciality
as instrumental music
For nearly four years Hiking Nell
has been on the roll of tramps. She
says she is now 81 What her family
iame is, Nell says no one will ever
snow from FER Fps When on the road
NE sleeps IN district school houses,
arms, haystacks and frequently in
ne woods, where she builds fire ana
passes the night with no other com
pany than her cigarettes and the