The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1917-01-05
RODE 1000 MILES
ON P0LITENESS

miles or so from some OBJECTIVE point
which it was necessary for him to
reach within seven days, and with only
1896 in money would decide that it
was impossible to connect and give up
unless ne happened to have the nerve
to try cumming" his way on freight
Charles Brown, a young Californian,
who is studying at New York Univer-
sity, finding himself in such pre-
dicament discovered satisfactory
way out, and incidentally demonstra-
ted that kindness and sympathetic
disposition to render a service are not
lost attributes of humankind, also
that a good appearance, polteness and
faith in ones fellow men are eX-
tremely valuable assets for those who
would travel.
Young Brown, according to his ac-
count in the New York World, was
stranded in Fort Wayne, Ind. At first
he considered beating his way out on
freight but as he sat in the railroad
yards an automobile speeding along
the road parallel ing the tracks sug-
gested a plan of travelling by auto
over the Lincoln Highway to New
York, where he was due in just seven
days.
He found that he had just $3.50 in
his pocket. His first move was to
get bath, shave and haircut. Next
he bought a clean shirt and collar, had
his hat and clothes cleaned and put in
good condition and invested in
clothes brush and some shoe polish.
Then with just $1.65 in his pocket he
started for the Lincoln highway, hop
ing by means of rides with passing
motorists to traverse it's 1000 miles to
New York city in seven days to which
he was limited.
Hailing the first autoist who came
along, he politely asked for ride. The
man in the machine proved to be
doctor hurrying into the country to a
patient whose condition had changed
for the worse, but he stopped and when
he learned that Brown was on his way
to New York, he Hospitality took him
in. As they rode Brown explained
his theory that courteous, well-dress-
ed man could start at any point on
the Lincoln highway and ride through
to New York in different automobiles
without cost, making the trip in a com
paratively short time. The doctor be-
came 50 much interested in the CONVEX
sation that he ran ten miles past the
point where he should have turned off
the road.
That night the traveller slept in a
barn and earned his breakfast by
grooming two horses. At six o'clock
he was on his way, riding on a milk
truck. An insurance agent next gave
him a Gift" and later he rode with a
school teacher whose auto he had
cranked. When darkness came on he
stopped at farm house for the night
and helped husk some corn. This day
was fairly representative of the re-
mainder Of the trip,
IN en- days be arrived at his des-
lination, having ridden I'm gwenty-eight
different automobiles; the distance
walked between rides 3ggregated only
q few miles, The longest ride he had
Oh any one machine was % miles and
the shortest less than IL. feet. This
short ride came at a time when the
Pennsylvania mountains lay just ahead
Of him and he was rather uneasy at
the prospect of crossing them alone as
some joker in Pittsburg had warned
him that the mountains were alive
with moonshiners who might mistake
him for government officer and plug
him full of lead" the first time he
turned his back.
He had just finished brushing his
clothes and shining his shoes when an
automobile stopped by him and the
occupants of the machine, an old farm
er and his wife, invited him to ride
with them. He got in and they start
ed, but when he learned that Brown
was bound for New York city the dri-
yer brought the machine to stop less
than 1875 feet from where they had
started. With blanched faces the
farmer and his wife stared at Brown,
evidently considering him an exterme-
ly evil character. With trembling hand
the old man opened the door nearest
to Brown and said "No, we don't
want to ride We over them mountains.
You might be "a"
"A Highwayman?" interrupted
Brown. Il ana Lincoln highway
man."