The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-09-28
HIKING TO
FRISCO
BY John Arthur StahIberg
-.-..s-.'. .''.''.'. ''.'':,-.'.'s'. s'*~".'.
Continued from last week.

Then there was the fine AIT of sc
caring rides, which | had to acquire.
This was one OF the matters relating
10 which / had received, and cOntin-
tfcd 10 receive, volumes Of advice.
0pe man would tell me that the best
way to avoid unnecessary walking
Was TO go to a garage and to camp
there until a motoTist going my way
should deign to offer me a ride. An
ether would say that the ideal way
was to walk slowly down the road,
stopping to hail the first passing mo-
torist. Others swore that l ought to
wait on the road, a mile or two from
town. and hail all cars until one or
another should stop Many were III
favor OF the turn around-and-jerk
you-thumb- over your shoulder me-
thod may safely say that among
every ten persons whom | met there
was at least one who had opinions on
the matter, and no two were exactly
agreed as to technique. | tried near
w all the methods advocated ana
learned that it did not matter greatly
which | used, though l did notice that
the plan of waiting at a garage was
less fruitful of Gifts" than any other,
wherefore | early discarded it. Diff
ferent methods seems to suit differ
ent localities, but, on the whole, the
issue depended on whether or not the
overtaking motorist liked my appear
ance. Granted this, | found that II l
hked along briskly-which is the only
natural gait for me, anyways If |
really meant to get somewhere, and
turned my head always without stop
ping, though | usually slowed down
If the car showed any sign of an in
tent TO stop) sufficiently for the APP
preaching motorist to get a good view
of my face, my chance of being "pick-
ed up was good. In time, | could
sense intuitively whether to smile or
look grave, and whether or not to mo-
ton with hand or head in the direc-
ton in which was going. In the
deserts and semi-deserts of New Mex
leo, Arizona, and western Texas
where every traveller is suspicious of
strangers, / secured several lengthy
rides by merely hiking along at the
double as though ! had no object in
view save to get away from there as
speedily as possible (Which was true)
and in California, which scores of per
sons had assured me was especially
hostile to foot travellers, and where
had expected no help whatever from
Automobiles, rode continually. The
strangeSt feature of this was that
never, by word, look or action, indi
Gated to any Californian motorist that
! desired to ride. I would merel,
walk along, carefully keeping to one
side of the road, so as to leave plenty
of room for speeding automobiles, and
presently someone would stop and in.
vite me to continue my journey ir
easier fashion They were always
good company too, bless their Sur
Maid hearts!
And yet, Californians are not dis
tinguished for their cordiality to pen
niless Fasteners. I never saw on
of them offer a ride to any other o
the numerous pedestrians who liter
ally swarm over some of the state
highways, and I was myself plenti
fully patronized, not to say despised
by the "native sons" when I met then
3wav from the road. But they woult
rot let me walk. was, and am, at
loss to account for my good fortune i
that respect. Surely there was some
thing more than mere coincidenc
there.
But l am months ahead of m
story! Let US go back to Oake
North Dakota, and new chapter
PART III.-Tells how | called on
warlike Waitress, a gracious Cove
nor and Taciturn Tribe; and hole
forth concerning Buffaloes ar
Butte, and Oil and Oreodontida
Ends with Love Song for a Dusl
Maid, and a Saga of Insectivorou
Pioneering.
The third letter, dated at Aberdee
April Ia, was unimportant, and mo
of its substance has already been 81
en-. My journey from Cakes to Abe
deem was uneventful except for n
meeting in Glendale, North DakoI
with an old Welshman, John Jon
by name, who had been everywhe
and who entranced me with accour
of his adventures in out-of-the-w
corners of the South Seas and t
Orient. / spent a night at his hor
and had to promise to let him knit
the outcome of my adventure whe
ever it should be completed.
In Westport, South Dakota, as
Buffalo, North Dakota, receiv
mail, and / shall let my readers i
agine the pleasure that it was to hC
from someone knew. 1t is a dis;
vantage Of this sort of travelling Il
one is perpetually alone amO
strangers, since before one has I'll
to become really acquainted with al
body, one must move on, alws
meeting more strangers.
The fourth epistle follows:
Fort Pierre, South Dako
April 81, 1926
Your Honor. and ladies and gent
men of the Jury, am guilty
charged. | have been wasting til
but / appeal to the mercy of the co
on the ground that | have been WI
ing for supplies which refused
come. Ten days is too long a time
spend in a town no larger than Pie
but ! could hardly avoid it. I
now on my way again, though I
still see the lights of the cap
twinkling on the other side of
Missouri.
] enjoyed my stay in Pierre. /
well situated, with its splendid I
on one side and the broad stream
the other. It is interesting to me
so because in it I visited my (
state ce uffo1 opd vbooIy hordr -