The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1912-04-06
WORLDS MOST
NOTED TRAMP
"A NO. l." AN ECCENTRIC AND
REMARKABLE CHARACTER,
VISITED LAKELAND,

Telegram office the other day and in
trOduced himself as "A No. l." the
famous tramp. notices Of whose re-
markable record and unusual mission
have appeared in practically every
considerable newspaper in the coun-
try.
People probably have observed re-
Gently in the pOstOfice. on the wall
of the entrance to the Kentucky
building. and probably at other
places. Il cabalistic sign. which. when
deciphered, reads, "a No. L." with
the date and an arrow beneath 1t.
This is the sign of the famous tramp
his calling card. as one may say
and indicates to certain fcl"nds who
may be in the same part OF the world
at the time that he is or has been In
the vicinity.
This man, whose only known name
10 eha0 SoOi HuSt, ~ ANo' =, s'"seSN
Lakeland this week, coming from
Fort Myers, where he had been "
see ThOs. A. Edison. the famous in
ventOr, who is spending the winter
there with his family. and received
the following endorsement from the
I"WiZaru,' which no prizes very
highly:
Fort Myers. Fla. March 81, 1912.
! have known a No. | for Il number
Oi years. lie seems to be doing
good work in reclaiming tramp boys.
Thomas a. Edison"
a No. called on the editor Of
the Telegram and told many inter-
csting stories Of tramp life. with rem
euies for the evil.
He has hOb0cd, since 1888, 4JS,O6O
miles aud has spent only $7.Gl on
railroad fare.
lie has been around the world
three times. lie Is u linguist, speaks
and writes four languages. lie has
prevented more than twenty wrecks.
wears a $40 suit of clothes and u gold
watch, keeps his name Il secret, does
not chew, smoke, drink or gaMble.
A tramp gave him his name In
1888. kid, you are all right de-
claicd the older one, at the end Of Y
particularly hard journey. You are
A No. L." The title has stuck and
the wandercr has more than lived up
to it, for If ever a hObO's life could
be said to be a success, it's that Of
this man. lie travels In Overalls and
jumper, but after arriving In u town
divests himself Of these and appears
In a neat suit; Is always clean shaven
and has q very prosperous appear
ance.
ie has a memorandum book full OF
cards and letters given him by rail-
road officials. Many of these state
that he has prevented the possible
loss of human life and property bE
telling train operators when beating
his way Of broken car wheels or 9TH
er disarrangements and thus has pre-
vented serious wrecks and disasters.
He has been in i've wrecks. but. luck
lily. has never been hurt. lie also
has an autograph letter from Jack
London. the author. telling Of their
compsnionship on the road together
in 1894, besides endorsements from
President Taft. ex-President Roose-
welt, Luther Burbank. and other no.
ted persons.
There is something about tho man
aside from tho distinction which his
remarkable career carries. that Is
strangely appealing. 1t is perhaps
the humanity of the man or the pa
,hos that lies mutely concealed In bis
life, that makes HIN 50 strangely at
tractive. Endowed with all the nee
cssary qualities for success in life.
he is yet homeless, fricndess, name
less. by an element in his make up
which has gained mastery over all
other impulses and motives, namely.
the "wandrrlust"
Grippcd in its subtle power, i'm
lprcsssd by its reSi5tlcss influence, he
IS forced to lead IA life. the barren
ness of which he realizes and is con-
dcmned To roam ccascleSsly all over
he world without a destination in
view. To b. nomad of civilization.
lie knows the ycarnings of other mer
for home and friends, but the master
of ycarning of all is to move on and
by this he must be governed.
Whenever he meets runaway boy
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