New Britain herald., 1921-07-20
RIDE SEEKING BOYS
ARE NUMEROUS NOW
Autoists Pick Up Road Knights
-TrampS Stick to Railroads

Due to the lack of employment this
GUNNER, there are many young men
especially students in preparatory
schools and colleges, who are tour
ing the country as guests of auto
lnobilists along the road. These
gypsy tourists have become the topic
Of discussion among autom obilist.5
and many local men who own ma
chimes have had interesting exper-
fences with their pickup frien Is
along the road
Conditions Investigated.
A Herald an was sent out the other
Cay to investigate conditions. lie
started for Hartford at $50 and at
s.5o two young men asked for lift.
The boys were neatly dressed and
showed signs of refinement. It turned
out that they were students at the
Massachusetts, Institute of Technol-
ogy They had stopped all night at
tho 7. M. c. A. here in New Britain.
The day BEFORE a truck picked them
Up outside of Stamford and mad
brought them here. They were or
their way to Montreal.
On approaching West Hartford, one
an architect, noticed a residence
which interested him. He asked the
driver to stop, and both young me-.
5ot out of the machine. They both
pulled out sketch book and began
making drawing of the house. TIL
books of both men had some 25 or 80
-netches OF houses which they mad
i1lade.a
Young Men Favored.
The knights Of the road. all seem
% be younger men or boys 16 or II
.5ears of age. They have more lack
With the automobiles because of
their age. The Automobiles seem to
be just little timid of grown me-.
The Tramp's Story.
Using this as a cue, the reporter
turned back and went to the railroad
gates in Newington. He was reward
co for his search and found rather
ragged looking stranger standing neal
the gate house. The stranger was asked
IL ne wanted lift, the look of sur
prise on his face told the story. He
did, and in the conversation that fol
lowed admitted that it was the fir
time anybody had asked him if =,
wanted a lift. Every time he had
asked for ride. the AUTOMOBILE.
thought that he had some mischief
wished to accomplish. They We:
invariably step on the gas and
ahead, the stranger said. He w,
used to riding the bumbers and tn
excitement appealed to him. When :.
man works his way from town l..
town on freight train, he has some
of
heats the railroad, and in the strane
er own words, whats the pleasure
OF getting an automobile ride, you
dont cheat anybody. When you bun.
= ride on the bumpers you've accom-
pilshed something"
"A1' As Example.
Wnen the stranger had finished
MS story. the writer told the Incl
oent of al" the reformed tramp
who had married and settled dowo.
he was wealthy and give his wife a
limousine for wedding present His
VIE Is kept constantly on the alert,
now, seeing that her husband does
not bum a ride somewhere on the
car without her seeing him. Accord
ing to the tramp, the excitement of
doing something which harms no
BODY, but still is against the rules, |
is what comprises the majority of
thrills in tramp's life. All these
thrills are lost, if an automobilist |
gives ride to a stranger, the tramp
added.
A Marked Difference.
After experiences with two tvnica I |
cases, the reporter concluded that |
there was clear distinction line be-
tween two classes of road KNIGHTS. |
VIZ. the tramp craved excitement
while the other younger men want
ed experience. The automobiles
favor the younger men, while the eS-
element of cumming rides on the
railroad still attracts the tramp.