The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-05-09
(Translated by Simon Felshin)
"EIELLO, kid"

went pitterpatter. He thot of all those stories
that he had heard about hoboes. "Hello, kid" was
what the sherifs always said when they wanted
to lay hands on fellow,gEs And yet even this was
preferable to being beaten to death by boss at
some lumber camp. Nickles was not anxious to
end up as Newspaper sensation.
Then he remembered suddenly that according
to reports by comrades this friendly greeting of
the sheriff was usually followed by less friendly
blow on the shoulder And so he decided to peer
first in the direction of the voice, and then he
would consider whether to risk the rash jump from
the moving freight train.
"Hello, kid!"-rang out again, this time more
reassuring. He looked in the direction from which
the voice came. Nothing He wanted to
pierce the darkness. Loud, hearty laughter. And
still he didn't see anyone.
"Don't you see me? Here I amp
Nickles was right When sheriffs do any trav
popped out of their sockets.
Suddenly he caught sight of a waving hand
which reached out from somewhere among the
spokes of the wheels.
''Well that couldn't be any sherif''-Nickles
thot-"these gentlemen don't care much for riding
that way"
Nickles was right When sheriffs do any trav
cling they prefer the passenger coaches. And be-
sides, it did seem as if the owner of that hand
among the wheels didn't find himself so uncom
Portable in his surroundings
"Now at last can you see me?"-the owner of
the hand asked
Nickles tried again craning his neck this time
with better luck.
Catching sight of the owner of the voice and the
hand he felt very much ashamed that he had thot
even for a moment of running away. The sight of
this chap was decidedly reassuring He was look
ing out at the world from his comfortable" seat
with grin. By the light of lantern which they
passed. Nickles got a distinct view of him. He was
reclining at ease against cross beam, his hands
clasped about his knee. His pants were ripped
in one place, revealing bit of his naked leg.
This sight in a trice restored to Nickels his old
blitheness and now he in turn called out:
"HellO, kid |"
This. in one expression, constituted perfect
solidarity, the definite sealing of the new friend
ship and served also as an introduction.
"Where you headed for?"-Nicbles called. I'D
like to know that myself"
'eThat's where I'm going too"
And so they had Immediately found point in
common: neither of them knew where he would
land.
"Have you got any. buttons ?-the stranger
asked
This question sounded rather queer, as the
owner of the voice didn't seem to attach so much
Importance to whether there was any button miss
ing from his clothing.
"What for do we want buttons? -asked Nick
les.
$50 we can decide where to get off. Each but
ton stands for town. The last button tells us
the town we get off at"
As they talked it over they both realized that
the button method of choosing wouldn't do in this
case because it presupposed a detailed knowledge
of the various places along the road They there
fore had to decide on something else. As expert
enced travellers they could always tell good bit
ahead when they we're nearing big station; and
they decided to take leave of their conveyance at