The Adventures of a Female Tramp by A-No. 1
Author:A-No. 1
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781891053641
Publisher: Garrett County Press
CHAPTER IX.
âThe Register of the Hotel de Tramp.â
No sooner had the little red caboose swinging at the rear end of the outgoing freight train whirled past Erie Jack and his hobo mates, than they jumped into the middle of the track and gave vent to their rage at being left behind, by vilely cursing the brakeman, who, although he had permitted the two unprofessional hoboes to continue their journey, had prevented the professionals from doing so.
They continued their denunciating until the train was lost to their view, and then they went to the water tankâthe hoboâs âHotel-de-Trampââand ere many minutes had elapsed, every one of them had picked out an available space upon its âregisterââthe supports and the crossbeams upholding the tank aboveâinto which, with their pocketknives, more or less artistically, according to length of previous practice, each one carved his âname-de-roadâ and beneath it the date and an arrow pointing westward, the direction of their journey.
After they had thus complied with thisâan almost sacred duty of the roadâall went from one support and crossbeam to the adjoining one, carefully searching each timber for the trade-marks left by other hoboes who had arrived afoot at this lone desert stop, or had, like the present guests of the âHotel de Tramp,â been bounced off the cars by angry railroad men, who had discovered them hiding aboard their trains.
When they had deciphered a moniker, it was read aloud by one of their number, and then those among them who recalled some item of road gossip connected with the bearer of this particular name-de-rail, recounted this knowledge, most of which were mere senseless campfire tattle tales, while some of them pertained to deeds which were well worthy of perpetuating, but many of the comments made concerned acts so criminal in character as to plainly stamp them as being flirtations with the penitentiary.
After the guests of the âHotel-de-Trampâ had thoroughly exploited every hobo sign to be found on its âregister,â they took seats upon the crossbeams, and soon a lively exchange of road adventures was under headway.
âHey, Jack,â one of the story-tellers called to Erie Jack when he noted that the latter had for some time held himself aloof from his fellow hoboes and looked a picture of abject misery, âwhat is the matter with you, Jack, that you do not join us in our story-telling and so contribute your share toward helping us forget our troubles.?â
âFriend,â Erie Jack replied soberly, âI am not disheartened because we have been left here at this forsaken water tank, but I am downcast because the brakeman permitted the father and his son to proceed upon their journey, for only last night the lad promised to leave his sire and become my âroad kidâ.â
âEh, Jack,â the other tramp jollied, after he heard the cause of the otherâs gloominess, âthe nerve you had in attempting to snatch a boy from his own fatherâs arms. Just the same, I say, cheer up for if you do not get next to
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