Page 130 - 1921 VES Meteor

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12 TnE :METEOR
]ust an ]ncinent
The hobo mused-life was getting monotonous and weary. He was old, and life on the tracks was not new to him. He had seen many years of·traveling on the great railways, but now, in the decline of his life, he must do something better, something which would keep him in old age. Hoboing is not a pursuit which leads to the saving of money.
Slouching along the track, while thinking thus, with his eyes on the cinders before him, the hobo was suddenly aware of the near approach of a passenger train, and narrowly es- caped being hit-life in this vocation was dangerous as well as wearing, for one was apt to become accustomed to the trains and not note their approach so soon. When the train had passed, and the tramp bad climbed back upon the track, he noticed a small, peculiar leather bag lying just across the ties, just as if it had fallen from the window of one of the cars. His eyes shone with joy, and running forward, he picked up the bag very carefully. Wild dreams flew through his head. If only-of course it was! He knew it to be jewels, diamonds, pearls, rich treasures of some very wealthy lady, maybe an empress. The old tramp's eyes glittered and his withered old hands gently handled the bag-the bag that meant life, riches, all he had always wished for and had never had. As he stood there with that little bag in his hands, a wonderful vision came to him·--
He saw himself answering an advertisement in a paper, an advertisement from one of the richest women in America. He saw himself journeying to New York, not as in the days gone by, but in a Pullman. lie took the precious bag of jewels back to its owner, and was given a check for $50,000,