The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-08-10
PRNIfERBILL
REPORTER van
A HUMAN NATURE STORY OF
HOW He DEPARTED FROM THE
HOBO LIFE, LOVED AND LOST
AND RETURNED TO HIS OLD
VOCATION.
[BY Doc Ishparr. FairmOnt.l

(By Doc Ishparr, Fairmont.)
"Bill, you stay here for while an
I'm 70 over to that farm house and
see Il / can't get a hand-out- gee, but
Pm hungry" said Van to bis eompan.f
ion, as they dropped from a freight
train at Waco, Tenn, on the Southern
road a short distance from Nashville.
van went across the field leaving Bill
sitting under the water.tank. Minutes
grew into hours, the summer sun went
down. dusk came, the boot owl hooted
10 his mate and the frogs sang their
disagreeable and lonesome ode to the
tune Of rightfall. Being wearried OF
4 heart and tired Of body Bill rolled up
! his coat after drinking the contents OF
the black bottle, threw away the
! empty phil and was soon fast aspect
! little thinking OF companion Van until
early the next morning when the first
\ section OF fast train startled him.;
II raising up he rubbed his eyes and
] looked about as If he expected to see
i his hobo partner resting, beside him
4 as he had done for the many years
| gone by. But there was no Van to-
\ greet him. II wonder where the hell
Van ss,s he muttered in his halt
drunken and semi-sleepy state. For
nearly ten years We have ben on. the
'bo together and he always came back,
i don't bsiplseye he'd shake me now and
we was atgolng 70 Texas to spend the
i winter 81 amented Bill.
Morning passed, noon came and
train, after train stopped at the tank
for water but Bill sat under the big
/ rafters awaiting the return of his
4 young companion, Van. The hot 1n-
4 dian summer afternoon slowly passed
4 into evening and Van returned not.
/ Just then freight drew up to- the
tank and as 1t slowly pulled out Bill.
with the instinct of his vocation for
the many years could mot resist the
calling Of the rolling wheels and with
a CURSE for his companion he swung
under the rods and was soon whirling
Isouth%aFd. In q short while he land
ed in Texas and little thought he OF
his frgightriding companion with
whom he had been with, for years.
Time went on, Bill rode the rods and
knocked upon back doors; in the
spring he would go north and as a
bird, he flew to Dixie Landto spend
1 the cold months among the green
leaves, the blooming flowers and the
singing birds. Years passed swiftly
by; Bill drank more and more Of bad
liquor. One night while standing In
northern doggery he heard a half
drunken college graduate recite
poem, "An Old Friend of Mine" Bits
dominant mind became once more ae-
tice, it seemed that the fire of the
years gone by had been reklndled and
his memory reverted to his old friend
Van, whom he had not seen for near
| ~ ten years; picture became ylvia
upon memory's wall, and without
knowing what he was doing he saun-
tered out the gin-mill and into the
: street, going straight to the railroad
yards, saying as he stumbled along
'sby hell I'll see me old pal, Van-go-
ing right to Waco where l left him and
II l can't find him there hope the
next freight ride on will wreck and
kill me-" -
1 It was long journey, hungry trip
!, ON the car rods for old Bill but he
cared not for he was going to see old
pard Van.
One evening just as the sun was
Isinking behind the beautiful hills of
A Tennessee and Van was washing his
lhands after his hard days work and
lhumming an old love tune in the rear
OF his printing shop he heard the
shuffling OF footsteps in the front OF,
\ flee. they plainly became more dis.
4 tincti and looking over the side OF the
press he saw an old man with a dissi-
.lpated face, blood-shot eyes and dirty
| unkempt whskers, his clothes were
slick with grease and ragged BY wear.
when the hobo saw Van he called out:
i tHello,, Van; thank God I've found you
lat last!" Coming rapidly forward the
4 Tramp threw his arms about Van. God
Inn glad to see you Van-hayen't seen
you for hellof while!
"Who are you?" demands Van. 2
4 "Don't you know me? rs Bill; don't
'lSou know we used to travel together
land we once worked for years In the
same office at st, Louis. stuck type
and you were reporter; liquor got
1.-The best Of Us and We hit the rods. !
Ileft you here or you left me at the wa
ter.tank almost ten years ago.
n "Of course | know you now, BIZ.
Ny but you've changed.
j what you been dotn' sinceyou left
4 met" Intercepted Bill as he sat down
ON an empty Ink keg.
Il LET me tell you, Bill: When lglett
lyou at the water-tank did ilct Intend
u 10 come back came into town, made
a application for job Of any kind at
4 the only daily newspaper office here.
iii was refused at first but / begged 70
| be given something and at last Judge.
Quarrlef who used TO be editor and
4 owner Of this pa gave me work
Il sweeping out the place; building the
.lfires, washing the forms and doing an
II kind 81 odd Jobs IS vel IS tending
~ ietl5 tftIt "A II " 4eftfn III mild Naf