From North Carolina to Southern California Without a Ticket and How I Did It Giving My Exciting Experiences as a "Hobo"

"From North Carolina to Southern California Without a Ticket and How I Did It" by John Peele is an early 1900s memoir that recounts the exhilarating and tough experiences of an American "hobo" as he makes his way across the country. The story begins with a young man getting ready to leave home with little money, some letters, and a fake ticket, and follows him as he learns to navigate and survive as a freeloader. In Wilmington, his journey begins and he quickly faces difficulties, including a funny and precarious moment when he almost gets mistaken for a military deserter. As he continues on his adventure, depending on wit and assistance from other wanders, themes of growth, strength, perseverance, and the thrill of the unknown emerge as he discovers the life of a hobo.