Twenty-Five

            As the days went by we where headed for New Mexico and it was kind of slow going. We were into the Sacramento Mountains and the engines has some hard slow work to get the trains over them. It was a dry hot country and a lot of desert. Just a few scattered one room shacks. Sometimes there was one alone with miles and miles of country all around it. I still wonder how they ever made a living. I found out some of the ones that was near the mountains was where the fellows stayed that was looking for gold in the mountain streams. They had a horse to ride and a mule they led to carry what little food they had to carry or other little things they did need. They lived mostly by a little hunting and a few traps.

            I used to think that was a great life and wished I could of tried it. I wanted to try everything back at that time as everything was so new to me. I guess while it was the first time away from home it was all one great adventure to me, like a puppy that broke loose and was having a great time.

            I remember one time I was in an empty boxcar sleeping while riding. When I woke everything was quiet and the train was stopped. I wondered where I was. i went to the door and looked out. I was all alone. The engine had stopped and sat eight or ten cars off on a siding for another train to pick up and take along in another direction. I saw a small town off in a distance so I started walking.

            I didn't eat since the day before and I was hungry and had food on my mind. I tried quite a few houses and got nothing. I began to think I'd starve in that town when the next I house I tried I was invited in. It was a negro family. They were just as nice as any of the white people and they had eat at the table with them. I asked them if there was something I could do to pay for my food. The lady said no, she had one of her family on the road looking for work and knew how it was but they did want to know all about my trip from the time I left home. One of their family lived in Canton, Ohio near where I lived but they could never afford to make the trip themselves.

            I guess I must of been there three or four hours. They did have a small garden. I do remember helping to hoe and pull some weeds in it. The woman gave me a sandwich to take along.

            I had to walk and hitchhike to the next town where the train stopped so i could get on one. I remember when that first night came. I was tired from walking and was looking for a place to lay down to sleep. I saw a small barn off in the field. It was so dark I didn't see any other buildings so I headed for it. I opened the door and it was so dark I got down on my hands and knees feeling around for some hay to lay on. I found some and lay down.

            It was about ten minutes when there was an awful racket and somebody taking off. As they went t the door I could see they were carrying some clothes. It was a fellow and girl that already was in there on some hay. I couldn't see them and they couldn't see me. I think they were as scared of whoever came in as I was when I heard them take off.

            Anyways, I didn't know how many more could be in there so I crawled out and took off myself. At that moment I wasn't thinking of sleep. I just wanted to get out of there. About an hour alter I just lay down in the field under the sky and slept for a few hours.

            Sometimes, I think of those two people and wonder if they really had to cut their stay short and leave before they really wanted to.