Arizona republican., 1922-01-03
WEST WARD HO
NEW YORK GIRLS
AND NATIVE SON
How the Hoboes Evaded
The Product of Cali
fornia Soil and Carried
Out Plans To Remain In
Arizona
(From Literary Digest)


They were two girls, with a camp
ing outfit and a large. sedate touring
car, equipped for roughing it in Texas,
New Mexico. Arizona, Colorado. Utah,
wyoming, Montana, and adjacent
parts, whore roughing 1t is still good
The car was shipped as far as Gal
weston by boat, since the roads from
New York to Texas were both too
familiar and too muddy to attract
the fancy of the two adventures. and
they made one of their first stops
at the urgent request of two motor
cycle "cops." at the Houston police
station. One of the travellers, Wini-
fred Hawkridge Dixon, kept a log
Of their roamings. and subsequently
expanded 1t into an entertaining vol
ume called westward Hoboes," pub
lished by Scribners. A sample of its
humor is given in an account of their
encounter with native sons" of Cal
ifornia, who invariably took it for
granted that the "hoboes' were on
their way to that land Of the blest
The hoboes, 1t seems. had other plans
Therefore, on meeting the first OF
these California enthusiasts in Ari-
zona, they rashly admitted that they
were not going to California. The
conversation goes on. beginning with
the native sons" first query, "On
your way to California;
mo"
Following blank establishment
MOP"
"No."
Recovery: "oh-just come from
there?"
mo"
"No."
''No?p
"And you're not going to califor-
nia?"
mo"
"Why aren't you going?"
Because we want to do this part
of the country"
"But there's nothing here but sand
Look here, YOU can go to California
just as we'll as not. You'll get
climate there. You won't have any
trouble with the roads, if that is what
is troubling you. The roads are won
derful-nothing like here. You'll find
a live state across the border-only
80 miles by Yuma. A little sand
then good roads all the way
YES, but we don't want good roads
We want to stay in Arizona"
A long pause. You want to stay
in Arizona?"
yes"
But California is only 30 miles
away"
But we like Arizona better"
Wounded incredulity. "Oh, you
can't. You've got sand and cactus
here-just a blamed desert. And
look at California, the garden spot
of the world. Roads like boulevards
scenery. live towns, everything you've
got in the east, and climate! NOW
l tell you, here's What you DO.
know California like a book, born
there, thank God. You let me plan
your route. You go to San Diego
work up the coast, see the MISSION
| Los Angeles, San Francisco-say
that's a town--and then up 10 seat
tie. You'll have good roads all the
way"
"Yes, but we were planning an en-,
tirely different trip. Arizona ano
| New Mexico, the Rainbow Brloge
then north to Yellowstone and Glacier
Park"
well, it's lucky I saw you in time
! You go straight to Needles-you can
miss the road, marked all the way
Good by and good luck. Youll IlNe
California"
Like Jacob with the angel they
wrestled with us and would not lei
| us go. After several such encoun
! ters, we learned to recognize the Ma
| tive Son at sight, and when he opened
with Going to California;" we Woulo
reply with the courage of our men
! dacity, Just left" 1t saved us houIS
daily.