McCook, Nebraska

Carl Sandburg spent very little time in McCook, but the trip there was interesting. Along the way, police officers were checking boxcars for vagrants so Sandburg decided to hide on top of the car. Hanging on for dear life, he traveled from Denver to McCook. Upon arriving, Sandburg dismounted and was immediately told to leave the city.

I climbed down and started to walk out of the yards. A one-eyed man in plain clothes with a club and a star stood in my way. "Where did you come from?" His tone was horstyle. "I just got off that train," I said. He gave me my orders in a more horstyle tone: "We don't want the likes of you in this town. You get back on that train."

And with that, Sandburg climbed back onto the roof of the boxcar and headed out of McCook.

• McCook, Nebraska

  
  

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  Audio Transcript

  Carl Sandburg spent very little time in McCook, but the trip there was interesting. Along the way, police officers were checking boxcars for vagrants so Sandburg decided to hide on top of the car. Hanging on for dear life, he traveled from Denver to McCook. Upon arriving, Sandburg dismounted and was immediately told to leave the city.

  I climbed down and started to walk out of the yards. A one-eyed man in plain clothes with a club and a star stood in my way. "Where did you come from?" His tone was horstyle. "I just got off that train," I said. He gave me my orders in a more horstyle tone: "We don't want the likes of you in this town. You get back on that train."

  And with that, Sandburg climbed back onto the roof of the boxcar and headed out of McCook.