The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-02-07
Rhode Island to Maine on Seventy
four Cents


Hiking around over the country is
not the same as it used to be, that is
as effecting the length of time 1t takes
to get from one state to another. My
hike. for that Is what you are about
to hear about, came to be, simply as
the result of an argument which la
ter developed into bet, that | could
hike from Providence. r. l., to Show
hogan, Maine, in thirty-six house,
without asking for ride or spending
over one dollar in carfare. The one
dollar limit was put in so that
could get lost in the metropolis of
CROOKED streets" AS to the outcome
of the bet you are soon to discover
1t was a Monday morning that
left the capitol city of Rhode Island,
and due to a late start. it was half
past ten instead Of eight o'clock as
scheduled Twas a great day for
walking, but as / did not intend to
walk, the temperature and fiaky con-
dltion of the coluds, did not have the
proper effect on my poetic soul, or
whatever 1t is that the clouds effect.
My first expenditure, l trust that you
will all want to know what became
of the one dollar bill, came right at
the start when | spent the magnificent
sum of one-eighth of dollar, it was
the equivalent of S1.40 by railroad,
! to get me to the city limits of Provi-
dence. From where the trolley left
me | could see the broad highway
reaching toward the horizon, glisten-
ing in the sunlight. didn't notice the
glistening at the time, but since then,
that poetic part of me has remember
ed it. AS the precious hours were
going steadily by, set off down the
cement sidewalk had rolled pack
on my shoulders and one of these
freshman" skull caps with a little
white button on it perched over my
left ear, but even with that equip
ment I scarcely expected a ride as
/ soon as my first one came. | had
not gone over thirty or forty rods
| from the trolley line when a Ford.
coupe drove up alongside of the curb
and the driver, bright looking chap
asked me IL l did not want lift for
a couple of miles. Naturally my
acceptance was rather reluctant, for
as I have already said, the glistening
highway could be viewed much bet
ter by a pedestrian than by motor
! list, but not wishing to offend the
kind-hearted gentleman, I climbed in
and my first problem in transporta
ton was solved. It turned out that
my benefactor was going to North
Attleboro. which was about six miles
! l.. ...rI.t hn EnN
suaded me to accompany him the en-
tire distance. He was a very inter
esting talker and l learned from him,
for he was in the produce BUSINESS,
that the early potatoes that we get
from Florida and the Carolinas are
raised from the seeds of our own
/ Aroostook potatoes. Another inter
esting fact was that this concern, of
which he is a member. always buys
some potatoes from Skowhegan.
was loath to part from such con-
genial chap and so comfortable a
| Ford, but as our paths did not lie in
the same course we went our separ
ate ways.
AS | plodded on, it was great fun
to surmise the place to which each
automobile that passed me was GO
ing, and while | was probably wrong
in practically every instance, still |
enjoyed myself. When I heard the
hum of an automobile engine in my
immediate rear, my thots turned to
the question of wherther or not 1t
would stop to pick me up, and after
listening a moment to the sound of
the engine l would make up my mind
whether or not 1t would stop. Fin
ally | heard car coming up behind
me and after using my listening pow
ers minute | was convinced that 1t
would keep on going, which it did.
Then another motors hum became au-
dible and my prediction was the same,
but the action of the car was not,
for much to my surprise Franklin
sedan slowed up and the occupant in
CURED if he might not present me with
a ride. | gave him all the necessary
permission and so we started on again
both travelling at about the same
speed. After chatting a bit learn
ed that the driver of the car was a
cousin of my room mate at college,
who 1t happens comes from Pitts
Helu anu whose HdInc is al peil'
While my companion was not a Maine
man himself we had quite a nice talk
until we reached the Boston Com
mon at the metropolis. It was after
twelve o'clock and upon parting com
pany with friend motorist | began to
look around for a restaurant where
trampB were admitted but | found
such a place hard to find In fact
| didn't find it at all but met one
quite accidentally. Boston is not the
same as Cornvile at the noon hour
on any day, but | can safely say that
during the Christmas shopping, the
traffic and mob of pedestrians far ex-
ceeds even the Saturday night crowd
at Athens. | would suddenly have
to jump to the right to avoid being
knocked over there and then jump to
the left to escape being run over, and
after being man-handled for approx
imately a dozen blocks l stepped into
q doorwav IN oct INV breath for the