Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-23


of the car. This act in the parlsnce of the
profession is known as decking her"
The top OF a passenger train offers no
bed OF roses as a resting place. The slope
is uncomfortably great and the top is
broken by one portion that is a foot or
two higher than the other. There is not
room to lie down without danger Of rolling
off
So precarious is the footing that the
brakeman comes up to run the tramps off
no oftener than~is necessary. When he
appears there is a scrambling down lad
ders, often a hurried passage through a
car and up again at the other end. The
train must be stopped and time lost in put
ting the trespassers off On the night in
question the hoboes were so numerous that
the crew could not ignore them and waged
battle throughout the night In Kidding
the train OF them.
BOuncers I'm Action.
Meantime the amateur tramp had done
an unconventional thing In trampland-a
thing so simple that 1t was successful. He
crawled from the blind baggage upon the
tender among the coal and went to sleep.
His hiding place was so easily found that
no tramp OF experience would have chosen
It. and no trainman would look for a
tramp there. When the fireman came back
to take water he saw the lad, but the
fireman's business is to shovel coal and
not to fight tramps. Sc he merely stepped
over the PROSTATE form with Good for
you, kid. Lie low" and the amateur rode
through the night.
Just as day broke the train stopped for
water and the brskemen made their last
fight in an attempt to get rid OF their un-
profitable passengers. The conductor went
forward to prevent the dislodged tramps
from going up the right Of way and swing
ing on as the train passed. Then, when 1t
had gained considerable speed, he swung
onto the engine and started back over the
train. This was the undoing OF the anna
teur, for. In passing over the tender, the
conductor stepped on him. Psychologically,
from the standpoint of the tramp. this was
the worst possible moment for such a
thing to happen. The conductor was in a
nasty mood because OF the trouble the
tramps had given him. But, finally, he was
congratulating himself upon having gotten
rid OF them. Finding the amateur threw
him into a white rage.
Get out Of here!' he ordered heatedy.
Il am now on my way" responded the
tramp, scrambling down onto the blind
baggage.
But having gone thus far, there was no
further retreat except by Ieaping from the
train, and by this time 1t was running full
speed. The conductor still admonished In
language picturesque and lurid. The boy
protested that the train was going too fast
for alightng, and that under the law he
could not be put off unless the train was
stopped.
But the conductors temper was aflame.
He would show the tramp whether he
would get off or not! He was six feet
above on the tender. This was piled high
with huge chunks OF coal. The conductor
began heaving these, in his frenzy upon
the tramp. There was no way OF getting
back at him. The tramp had his choice OF
jumping from the train or being beaten e
death with coal He chose the former
alternative.
He knew something about getting off q
fast moving car. He got low down on tbs
step, placed himself SO that he would lane
feet first, face front almost as flat I
board lying on the ground. and turneS