The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-02-07

stretched out my legs In brisk
walk. Necessity was the author Of
the brisk walk, for the wind was COM
ing out of the north and the thermo-
meter was going down quite rapidly.
As on the previous morning 1t was
Ford coupe that broke my walk. and
I was three miles nearer my destina-
ton when that ride was over. A Ma
tional Biscuit Company truck had
passed me previous to my being PICK
ed up by the Ford, and after l was
again on my way this truck again
came into sight, but this time the two
fellows in the vehicle had decided to
stop for me. 1t was curiosity,
guess, that was the cause of their
stepping, for the first question that
l was asked was to how had got
I'D ahead of them the second time.
The explanation that | gave was sa-
tisfactory however, and 1 was afraid
that | might be put out to walk again,
but they kept me with them. ,This
freight wagon that | had struck this
time, was delivering orders to the
different stores on the way from Port
land to Brunswick, and 1t was noon
before we arrived in Brunswick. After
a short lunch the driver of the mach
inc made the offer that il | would
help to deliver the boxes at the gro
Gerry establishments, he would get me
to Waterville at $50. I accepted the
offer without much consideration but
am quite sure that | could have
gone along whether l had helped or
not. However, anyone that has rid
den for hundred miles in a truck,
will understand the reason that I was
glad to have the opportunities to get
out and stretch.
True to his word the chauffeur did
leave me in the city of Waterville
at the aforesaid time. I then had
two hours and a half left on my time
limit and about sixty one cents left
on my expense limit l started to
hike again I had expected that the
nearer home I got, the fewer rides |
would get, and so it was. l walked all
the way to Good VIII Farm and only
four automobiles passed me in that
distance If any of my readers kept
a record of the temperature thru the
month of December, they can per-
haps find that on the eighteenth of
that month the thermometer register
ed rather low, and | can vouch for
the accuracy of any such recorders.
BY the time l saw the lights of Good
Will, for darkness had descended up
on earth by this time, the wind had
succeeded in finding all the cracks in
my garments. 1t was just as l was
going into Good Will Farm that I
heard the whistle of the night train,
and realized how little time 1 had left
to make Skowhegan. For the con-
yenience of any that have not had the
experience of travelling the way in
which l did, l will explain that no
motorist will, or is expected to take
anyone in to ride after dark. it is too
dangerous practice nowadays.
Since the daylight had disappeared
when l reached the school, and know
ing the above statement to be true.
stopped to consider my case. My
chances of being picked up having
vanished, and with the train so near
and the time so short; with the wind
so cold and the temperature so low,
incidentally my pack was ninety-two
pounds heavier than when l started.
came to the conclusion that had
best board the train. l did. There
fore, l landed in Skowhegan. two
hundred and sixty odd miles from
my starting point. with fifteen minu-
ties to spare (the train was on time),
on my time limit of thirty six hours.
and twenty-six cents left on my limit
of $1.0O.
The whole story has sounded like
one of these moving pictures stories,
but l can assure you that the entire
tale is one which actually happened
to me no later than last December,
However if any one is anticipating a
hike for over three or four hours.
should advise him to wait until
warmer weather is upon us.
w o. WILDES, JR.