Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-13

- WAS celebrating my sixteenth birthday
by hoeing corn in a rocky hillside deld
in Southern Indiana. From the south
the hoarSe below of a steamboat whistle
came echoing through the hills, and
I knew that feet of coal barges was passing
down the great yellow Ohio River to the Gulf
of Mexico Away to the north the smoke OF
westbound freight train curled Skyward. The
lure of adventure waiting beyond the horizon
laid hold of me, and the wanderluSt IN my
British blood responded to the call of the open
road. Then and there I made up my mind
that must fare forth and see the world: had
mad enough of stopping in one place.
NV elder brother did not take my newborn
enthusiasm for travel very seriously, bat ne
put no obs acIes in my path. Instead ne gave
me SI3-my wages for Is days in the cornf1eld
and told me facetiouSly to take 1t and start
my world tour. With the sublime confidence
of RsAiIl-bred boy who has never been farther
from home than his own country town, ] put
the money in my pocket, packed up few
belongings and set out.
Falling with q group Of hOboeS, soon
learned to travel without cost on the 'rattlerS
(freight trains), and to stow away IS blind
baggage" on the engines Of fast night expresses.
These hard-bitten wayfarerS also initiated me
into their mode of life o rough existence full
Of new experiences, which yielded adventure
always and peril upon occasions, with now and
then . touch Of comedy.
WHILE beating my way across the high, arid
w plains of Eastern Colorado fell in with
q group of hoboeS who, firing Of travelling in
"side-door Pullmans." as box cars are called
In the jargon of the road, had somehow &C
quired q WORKOUT car, and were touring the
West in q manner which they quantity termed
de lucks"
There were four men in the party and when
they discovered that was ON my way to
Omaha, Nebr., they invited me to join them.
was very suspicious as to the abilities Of their
car, which was the most disreputable looking
mass of scrap iron I've ever seen on wheels;
but had unlimited time, and the adventure
promised to be a new experience, so climbed
i'm with them.
Before we had gone far the driver asked me
II had any money. replied that had IS
cents. My interrogation then intimated that,
since I was benefiting by q nice ride, it was
only right that should chip In and help to
pay for the gas. without demur turned over
my change, and was thankful that did not
look prosperous enough to tempt them TO search
me, for still had few bills hidden in an
inside pocket
That day we covered q hundred miles, in
spite Of delays caused by Is "blowouts."
proved very useful as q tire-repaier; my hosts
seemed to think it an ideal arrangement for
to the driving.
All day they talked eagerly of the poSsibiIi-
ties Of reaching North Platte, Nebr. when
We get there" they said, 1--WE can get all the
gasoline we need"
When we finally came within sight of the
lights Of the town they were jubilant. limo
Gently asked them if they had friends there
who would supply the needed gas.
"Oh, mol" they replied, grinning. I'VE don't
know anybody, but we can milk a few cars.
Ever -milk carp"
I confessed that this was q phase of my
education that had been neglected.
We'll, it's very simple" explained the driver.
"AI you do is take q pail, crawl under . car
and drain out bucketful Of gasoline through
the pet-cock"
became silent for time, and whatever
enthusiasm may have had over our prospects
for further travel vanished.
A service was going on in one of the churches
and number Of cars were parked nearby. Our
ancient vehicle gave a mild cough and stopped
directly in front of the building
One Of my companions handed me q pail.
We've only got one bucket" he remarked,
alphabetically Suppose you take it and milk
one Of them cars? Wen stay here and watch
TIN you get back"
TAKING the preferred pail, walked around
corner, set the pail down-and kept 60
ing! Reaching the Union Pacific Railroad
yards just as a slow freight was pulling out, l
swung on to an empty coal car and resumed
my travels with enthusiasm, leaving my late
companions to pursue their nefarious milking"
activities without my assistance.
My next stop was at Des MOines, Iowa. On