Evening star., 1932-12-22
BY DANIEL ROBERT MAUE.
Freight trains, like questions, have


two Sides
From where Wayne Bridges and I
crouched in the black shadow of a
building to one side of the first of the
night freights westbound out of FL Paso
for Tucson, Ariz., had counted 73
scrambling forms. I assume. therefore,
that no fewer than 100 hitch travellers
boarded the train.
I never saw such peach of a place
to get on" Wayne said of our loca-
tion. The 16-year-old boy arranged
his tired person over Jack Cardigan's
leather bag. We expected Jacks return
any minute.
As yet had not had my due of
transient experience. The American
hitch-traveling youth, who in his amaz-
dered manner through the United
States, had accepted me as companion
I knew in some part of his method of
existence. was. however, still some
what the tenderfoot. for I had not
crossed the Southwestern deserts in
accordance, with the requirements of
his mCde Of life.
My companion quickly came out of
his drowsinesS when the heavy figure
of the third member of our hastily
formed group came along the tracks.
Train Is Located.
We'll, let's get going" said Jack
THE second section, with a string of
empties, is about made up on Track 4.
The car knocker told me-"
We filed along to the east yards
There we went cautiously in the shad-
ows along lines of cars. Lantern lights
moved along the ground. We avoided
these. A trainman may be a tran
sient's friend, but he knows the bull, t"
or special agent, doesn't like prowlers
in his yard.
Here they are said Jack when he
had found Track 4. Come on up,
qulck-the engines backing on"
We boosted his heavy bag to him.
Wayne climbed the steel runs. fol-
lowed. Regardless now of the danger
of being seen, we moved along the tops
OF the cars, where we lifted up the
lids of ice compartments in the re-
frigerators.
When our guide went through the
trapdoor OF an empty, Wayne and
also submerged in the darkness. There
the three OF us bedded down.
The ice compartment of refrigera-
tor car is great steel-meShed basket
with grated bottom lowered to within
four inches of the car floor Designers
strove to provide the maximum of air
circulation. Winter nights, even out
over the Southwestern waste lands,
grow cold. Our car carried no pay
load of merchandise. The circulation
excelled.
Like Huge Crate.
Yet the cold became the lesser of
two Affections. Trying to sleep without
padding on the wide openings of the
cars bottom was like attempting it on
the continually shaken crate of some
cold, giant furnace
During the many months to and
often rode by day and by night in
the light foreign box cars. Never did
! encounter in that time any rolling
bed room that could hold candle to
the hitch travellers misery-dealing re-
frigerator car. -
Finally, beyond Lordsn,rg. N. Mex,
we emerged from our container into the
brilliant and fast warming sun. UP
and down the length of the freight
rode several other groups of young
hitch travellers.
We breakfasted leisurely. Jack pro-
duced a bag of wholesome scraps he
had had the night before at the back
door of an Ell Paso hotel. We tore
buns and hunks of meat apert and at
the too slender supply. All seemed
going well. Then the freight stopoed
at Bowie. Aria few low buildings,
few dusty, golden poplar trees and
water tank out in the waste lands.
From the direction Of the engine
over the tops Of the cars came a uni
formed figure. Two other men in diff
ferent uniform walked the ground to
right and left of us. A railroad special
agent aloft, border patrol below.
Down on the ground and line up"
they commanded as they dug hitch
travellers out of their lairs.
Lined Up by Police.
The file of men looked none too pre-
possessing. Three old men. counted.
The others were young. The railroad
agent examined the soles of all our
shoes. He sought boots to fit foot
prints found near slain man at Col
ton, Calf The border patrol likewise
questioned and examined. From the
line they took three men whose citi-
zenship seemed doubtful.
Can we get back on the train now?"
asked some one.
We'll I'm special agent Of this
railroad" said Johnny Bra burv. I'm
supposed to take you of at Bowie. I
saw you get off. I'll not see you get
on. because I'm going away in this here
automobile. see?"
Agent, border patrol and the three
questionable citizens drove off. Later,
as the freight started on. the motor car
ran out the road to deposit the three,
cleared by questioning, at a spot where
they could hitch handily ana travel
with us.
The day, by contrast with the night,
passed delightfully."-. While older men
visited, the younger frisked over the top
of the train. Trainmen did not molest
us, and when they passed along with
friendly words We cleared from their
cat-walks.
Young neighbors from down the
train ran along to bum smoking to-
rocco or matches A nondescript
child, SO he seemed. danced clownishly
from group to group
Nineteen" some one explained. "and
probably crazy. The kid spends his
Paso and Yuma" Wayne Bridges
questioned or chartered endlessly.
Going TO California.
"Hey. fellowsw he said when a soli-
tary mail plane few over. Il made a
parachute jump Fourth of July. The
air circus gave me SIS. They couldn't
ind any one else to do it."
Wayne had been two weeks out of
Arkansas City, Kans., when met him
in El Paso. He had come leisurely down
from the North. and collected sufficient
food and dollar, and was just ''going
to California
A high school rumpus had precipi-
tated his departure. A teacher had
caught this laughing son of a carpenter.
matching pennies nickelS with other
tardy students. Fifteen youngsters had
been expelled. Wayne and a CON-
panion departed, first West and then
Southward. The second hitch trav-
eler had turned homeward at Tucum-
Burlington Botel