East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1910-09-14

months spent together in 1894, when
the now famous author belonged to
the type of men which "a No. 1"
still represents.
Wherever he goes he leaves paint
ed upon some building, fence or rock
a cabalistic sign which during his
whole career on the road he has used. |
1t is "a No. 1" with an arrow on each |
side and below the date. and these
signs may be seen along every rail-
way from the Pacific to the Atlantic
from Canada to Mexico. He took his
title when on his first trip when 1t
was suggested to him by an ex-con-
vict with whom he fell in. The eld-
er outcast took a strong liking to
the novice and advised him never to
associate with anyone with whom he
would be ashamed to pass his moth
er's house in broad daylight and to
be A No. 1 in whatever he under
took. "That advice stuck with me-"
said the wanderer yesterday, "and
have repeated it to myself each day
since then and to it 1 owe such re-
spectabiiity as I can maintain with
such a profession. 1 have only un-
/ dertaken one thing, but l have made
a success of that. l am an A No.
tramp"
Has Mission.
He talked freely of his life to an
East Oregonian representative yester-
day but at the outset gave warn
| ing against any too great curiosity.
There are four questions forbid you
to ask" he said, "and they are,
| Aren't you afraid you'll be killed?
! What is your name?' why don't you
! go homer and Did you ever do an
| honest days work In your life"
/ Aside from these 1 will answer any
question regarding my life and tramp
/ life in general Why do 1 not settle
down. I can't. 1t is simply impos-
sible. 1 am possessed Of the wan
derlust and 1 must keep moving un-
til death overtakes me 1t is dis
ease with me and an incurable one
and I am reconciled to its endurance.
I I know that 1 am an outcast and de-
spised by all humanity for the life
lead, but in my way I am contribut-
ing my little mite to the world and
doing what good I can. I have writ
ten a book, narrating my experiences
and depicting the dark side Of tramp
life in the hopes that 1t will be a
deterring influence on wayward boys.
Did you ever notice that little path
J that runs parallel with the railroad
track? That was not made by the
railroad workers. 1t was beaten there
by the feet of weary wanderers and
it is truly the path of blasted hopes. 1t
Is from that path that I would re-
deem the thousands OF young boys
whose love of adventure and desire
for change impels them to forsake
their homes. l never meet one OF
these misguided lads but l urge him
to return home before the wander
ing germ develops in him the disease
from which I suffer.
"As for myself, I am past redemp-
ton. I could be rich if so desired,
for I have had flattering offers from
vaudeville companies. 1 accepted
I one Of these once and worked for two
weeks, but 1 couldn't stand the con-
fnement. 1 am my own boss and
eve allegiance to no man. My free
dom is my dearest possession and
will never surrender it. / have no
home and no friends No one cares
for me and 1 care for no one. 1
make acquaintance with no one out
side of my class with the exception
Of railroad and newspapermen. L
sometimes long for the things which
other people enjoy, but they can never
be for me-
AS he talked his eyes were con-
stantly on the alert. and IL any stran-
ger approached he walked quickly
away. "It may seem strange" he
said, "but am naturally suspicious.
and want no one to interest them
selves in my business" He objected,
too. to having his identity revealed