New Britain herald., 1927-03-26
H0b0ES HARb|NGER
OF Spring SEASON
Amble Slowly Into Town and
AInble Out Again

had predicted the usual early spring
which seems to be always promised
hut seldom realized. 1t brought out
the spring styles Of men and wom'
IN. Young and old, and 1t sent young
America scurrying into the attics
md cellars to dig up the baseball
paraphernalia with which they try
20 keep pace with the big leaguers
III the southern training camps. 1t
turned the last cakes OF ice into
rrlnuing rivulets as It sent the sun
rays piercing through the protect
ing trees and brush In the forests
it did all Of these things and more
it brought an itching to the feet OF
Americas knights OF the road and
sent them on their WY for sea-
son of sightseeing and travel
whatever the vicissitudes the future
may hold.
And SO into New Britain IN com
mon with other places throughout
The length and breadth Of the land
came the hoboes. Some OF them
we'll past middle age, and others
them empty handed but all optimis-
tic and cheerful, without a care or
worry in the world, truly marVels
OF nonchalance. Where their next
stop would be or how soon they
would reach it appeared not TO con-
corn them in the least. They knew
where they were for the present
and il they felt inclined to stay,
they would be here tomorrow
Otherwise, they would be on their
way and might spend the night ten
miles from New Britain or per
chance fifty miles away, depending
entirely on their fortune as repre-
scented by the pleasure o, the mo-
florists they encountered along the
highways.
Wears His Complete Wardrobe
One OF these tourists, With matted
beard, suit consisting of two or
three vests and as many coats, ana
Two pairs of trousers. dusty nat
and his shoes worn almost TO their
,lppers, stepped out of the police
station on Commercial street early
one bright morning and headed to-
wards Elm street after having had
his nights rest" on the hard plank
bench in a cell. He may have CIV
en- his name to the officer in charge
Us Jim Jones" Tom Brown or
anything else, and his address as
recorded might have been equally
as accurate, but little details of that
sort do not concern him-he made
that plain in the first minute Of the
interview.
How old was he?" well, now
I was born July Is, 1877. mat
would make me fifty come next
July. wouldn't it." he replied. well
sir. | don't feel that age, / can tell
YOU. No, sir, I've been o. the road
since I was eighteen. and have new
or known a sick day in all those
wears. Age, you know, is only a
matter of how a fellow feels We
met many men along the road who
might be 25 according TO their
birth records, but in reality they are
twice that because they feel that
way. 7 never pay any attention TO
my birthdays. l believe in letin
'em slide, come and go. we can
do anything to stop them, you
know. so why bother about it,
r Ever been in this town betore?'
lie paused, his eyes narrowed TO
sharp Sits as he meditated ~ es
j believe I was here about ten
], his
words. If | remember it, there
were so many dodgers in the police
house that night, | had TO share a
cell with three others.
"None Of had much sleep, you
can bet. on top Of that, there was
some drunk in a cell in back of us
who kept hollering for water al.
night long and finally cop came
in and told him he would get thrown
out if he didn't shut up. That gave
US a big laugh because 1t was brand
raw. You wouldn't expect one OF US
10 got a laugh out OF Il cops re-
mark, would you, after all our bang
ing around. but that certainly made
rs howl. Imagine getting thrown
our of a police station for making
racket"
Lets Hop It," Their Inspiration.
Mr. Man, Tor such is as good an
appeliation as any, proved an inter
,sting conyorsationalist, but he did
not care to 20 back beyond his early
manhood IN his "reminiscences. lie
Was born in Ohio and LETT school at