The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-12
A STRANGE wANpERrR
"A No l." the Unique Hobo, Visits
the Banner Office.

Tor IL ana you Will be surprised 10
notlce Tor how many years some OF
these marks have been decorating
those above mentioned places. IL Is
queer sign, yet it means that "A
No. l." the worlds most famous
tramp has passed through and has
lett mis- mark showing the date and
direction that he was journeying.
This man, whose only known name
is this sobriquet, "A No. l." visited
bennington Saturday and made per-
sonal call on the Banner and gave
some very interesting experiences of
mis- rowing lite.
He is well known to all the local
railroad men, and no one ever doubts
MS story, nor that his fame rests
upon actual facts. 1t will. no doubt,
Ne interesting TO repeat the same
mere:
He has hoboed since 1883 $4,000
miles and has spent only $761 on
railroad fare.
lie has been around the world
Chree times. He is a linguist, speaks
and writes four languages. He has
prevented more than twenty wrecks,
wears $40 suit OF clothes and a
god watch, keeps his name secret,
Loes not chew, smoke, drink or
gamble.
A tramp gave him his name in
1883.
kid, you are all right" declared
che older one, at the end of a partlcu-
larly hard Journey. You are A No.
~. The title has stuck and the wand
erer has more than lived up to it,
Tor if ever a hobo's life could be
said to be a success, it is that of
mis- man. he travels in overalls and
jumper. but after arriving in a town
INVESTS himself of these and appears
IN neat SUIT; is always clean shay
ed and has very prosperous APP
pearance.
He has a memorandum book full
of cards and letters gwen him by rail
road officials. Many of these state
mat he has prevented the possible
loss of human life and property by
teliing tram operators wnen beating
Ills way of broken car wheels or 9TH
er disarrangements and thus has
prevented serious wrecks and disas-
.ers. He has been in five wrecks,
out luckily, has never been hurt.
He has autographed endorsements
rom President W. II. Taft and Elk
president Theodore Roosevelt, Thos.
A. Edison and Luther Burbank, the
wizard of plants, etc.
He also has an autograph letter
rom Jack London, the author, telling
Of their companionship on the road
together in 1894.
During his travels "a No. T. has
learned four nguages-English, Ger
man, French and Spanish His par
ents were of the French and German
nationalities, but he was born in
san Francisco.
His toilet is complete. though it
! cakes little room to carry it. 1t con-
sists of tooth brush, comb. soap
and few other necessities. Black
ening and shining rags occupy a part
of his pockets. also a pocket edition
of Webster's dictionary, rather
strange book for tramp to carry.
There is something about the man,
aside from the distinction which his
remarkable career carries, that is
strangely appealing. 1t is perhaps
the humanity of the man or the pa
thos that lies mutely concealed in
his life, that makes him so strangely
attractive. Endowed with all the
necessary qualities for success in
life, he is yet homeless. friendless.
nameless, by an element in his make
up which has gained mastery over all
other impulses and motives, namely
the "Wanderlust."
Gripped in its subtle power, inn
pressed by its resistless influence, he
is forced to lead life, the barren
ness of which he realizes and is con-
demned to roam ceaselessly all over
the world without destination in
view, to be nomad of civilization.
He knows the yearnings of other
men for home and friends. but the
| master of yearning of all is to move
on and by this he must be governed.
Whenever he meets a runaway boy
upon his journeys he gives him a
good talk that Is almost certain to
make the lad homesick, and glad
when "A No 1" purchases ticket
sending him home to his parents.
If the boy Is already confirmed
wanderer "A No. /" teaches him his
own motto: Never associate with
anyone in whose company you would
be ashamed in broad open daylight to
pass in front of your mothers home"
There is deep pathos in his story
| And as he was leaving he told us of
his mission, the dangers lying all
round him and the certainty of the
fate waiting him. An unutterable
sadness came over him and his voice
was tremulous with emotion.
He entertained the office for an
hour with his instructive stories OF
the road and the solution of the
tramp problem.
About 100000 minors run away
from home annually" said "A No.
l." "Of this number over $4,000 be-
come confirmed hoboes, 1000 are
crippled, $500 are killed and the rest
can only stand the hardships of
tramp life about 10 years, until they
are in poor house. More than 90
per cent of all tramps, dirty and
clean, come of good families. So
many mothers, If they only knew il.
are the cause Of many young men
living the hobo life. If regular
grown up tramp comes to the house
and asks for a meal she turns him
away and tells him to go to work
for ii. but when the young fellow
comes along just starting out to be a
tramp she takes him in and feeds
him on the best she has. not reallz.
ing that within a few short years
the same youngster will be an exast