The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-01-26

our year LOT making SpeeCneS against
the draft law. We were nearing the
end of our sentences and had been
transferred from cells to the com
parative comfort of the do1mitory.
Here the short-timers, mostly DRINKS
and vagarants loafed out their $500
and $1,000 and cost sentences.
It was in the early days of pro
hibition. The bootlegers had not
yet become proficient at their trade.
The population of this workhouse had
been considerably reduced as a con-
sequence and there were only a
dozen Of us in the dormitory, which
usually held forty.
Our state bread and Altogether"
soup had been served thru the little
opening in the iron door. The "Eng
OF the spoons" had made his rounds
and gathered those precious instru-
ments. The rusty pans, separated
into three parts by partitions, in
which our bread and soup and some
times q slice Of red beet was served,
were noisily showed out thru the
opening in the door.
Everyone breathed q sigh of re-
lief and relaxed. We were thru for
the day. Except for the night
guard, slipping by noiselessly in his
felt slippers every now and then,
no one would come near as until
morning. Compared to the days
work under the constant observation
Of the guard, this was freedom.
Until the lights went out at eight
was the story telling hour. Tonight
Slippery Ike had the floor. Six
feet six and thin as q rail, with
just q fringe of red hair decorating
his bald head, one could easily see
how he had earned his name.
He disposed Of himself carefully
on one Of the cots, keeping within
hitting distance Of the spittoon, and
began:
"The goddamnest thing happened
to me last week"
II was riding a freight out Of
Bellaire on the way to Columbus.
hadn't made more then ten miles
when a smart-aleck breakman came
down on me.
ebay, you,' he shouts. You'd
better beat it when we stop at the
water tank. There two dicks in the
caboose and they seen ybu getting
on and are going to grab you when
we stop. Therell be another freight
along in an hour
II didn't like the idea of sitting
around a water tank ten miles from
nowhere, particularly since it was
getting on toward supper-time and
/ began to argue the question. But
he wouldn't discuss the matter.
Take it or leave it, says he,
and goes off swinging along the top
of those cars as il he were walking
down Broadway.
when the tank hove in sight I
slipped off and ducked in among
the trees aong the track and
watched. Sure enough them fly
cops came out of the caboose and
one on each side walked forward
to the engine, looking each car over
as they went.
when she pulled out they stood
there until the caboose came along
and hoped on the end, SO I didn't
get chance to jump her again.
Wasn't anything to do but wait
for the next freight which the
breaky said would be along, SO
found soft spot and proceeded to
invite myself to snooze.
when I awoke it was nearly
dark-must have slept and hour and
q half. Wasn't any freight in sight.
/ sat waiting another half hour or SO,
but nothing happened.
at had got pich dark--one O.
those black nights that you can
feel. Ny little tummy had been tell
ing me ever since l woke up that
it was time to go looking for some
good lady, so stood up on a big
rock to see IL there was any ight
anywhere in sight.
Couldn't see thing, SO I began
to stumble along to a sort Of road
] had seen down a piece. I follered
it up from the track and after walk
ing a bit / saw a light shining q
little way ahead.
"Sure enough l soon came To n