The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1912-02-26
FOUR YEARS ON ROAD
NEW JERSEY YOUTH HAS MOST
REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE.
Leaving Home With 70 Cents, James
O'Neili Worked at Almost Every
thing imaginable in All Parts
Of the Country.

Four years ago James O'Neill left
his home at 254 FORK street. Jersey
City, with exactly 70 cents In his
pocket Before he returned to his
home few days ago he travelled all
over the country and had working
experience in countless capacities in
nearly every large city In North Amer
lea, where most of the time was spent
He is now working in the auditing de-
partment at the Waldorf Astoria and
he declared that 1t felt good to be
home again, says the New York Her
hid.
Since I've been away" he said. Il
nave worked at everything imagin-
able. from managing a five and ten
cent store to waiting table in a tea
garden in Japan. never knew there
were so many different ways of max
ing living until | got away from
home. learned, too. 1t doesn't pay
to be particular II one wants to eat
regularly.
II had some amusing and likewise
tragic experiences. In Portland. Ore.
for instance, | was floor walker in
bird store That was tragic, for was
discharged for eating bird seed 1t
looked as good as breakfast food to
me, for food and had been on the
outs for several days before got the
Job.
lat lumber camp in Canada got
into a shooting scrap and nearly lost
my life. A French-Canadiap. with
whom | had several disputes. became
intoxicated one night and fred three
shots at me. His aim was unsteady
and the bullets went wild but they
Whizzed uncomfortably near my head.
II had another narrow escape when
two OF my companions were killed
within 40 feet of me as we were steal
ing ride on top of a freight train in
New Hampshire. The accident hap
pened about midnight and | did not
know they were dead until their bod
les were found by the trainrlon at
daybreak. They had been struck as
the train entered a tunnel | remem-
bered hearing some one ahead shout
warning. ! fell fiat on top of the car
as the train whizzed into the tunnel.
and that saved my life
II wanted to see the world. particu-
larly this country. and | did not re
main long in any one place. ! did not
have a trade and 1t is easy to under
stand was called upon to do many
things to earn a livelihood herd
cd sheep in Montana, stood a watch
IN New Mexico concert hall. worked
for florist and billboard poster in
Los Angeles. peeled potatoes on
lake steamboat between Milwaukee
and Chicago, sold real estate in New
Jersey, was housekeeper on a Texas
ranch, drove mules in a. Pennsylvania
mine. clerked In a coffee shop in New
Orleans. worked in various hotels IN
Florida harvested In North Dakota
managed novelty store in Evansville,
ind; worked In blacksmith shop in
Ohio, was farm hand in Missouri.
worked In distillery In Illinois.
groomed horses in Kentucky and put
in time in sawmill in Tennessee.
Mr., O'Neill said he did laundry work
his own-in creeks and streams in
yearly every state In the Union He is
proud of the fact that never once in
Jour years of rowing among strangers
was he obliged to beg for food He
I'D not communicate with. his family
while he was away. and an otherwise
happy homecoming last week was
marred when he arrived and found his
'ather died a year ago. He considers
ais worldwide experience invaluable
out says he will never leave here
again, except on the dollar excur.
s1ons." limited to two days