The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-08-28

TALK ABOUT TRAMps.-A question !
which agitates the average female mind
at this season is: Where do all the
tramps come from? The grasshopper
question is not more bewildering to the
grangers Of Minnesota or Nebraska than
this perplexing problem to househeepers,
of the origin, destination and number OF
tramps. Not only are there faces pre-
sented daily at the doors of every resi-
dence in the city, but they swarm
throughout the rural districts like the
lean kline of Pharaohs dream, deyouring
everything in their path Not by ones,
but by half dozens, do they apply for
cold vituals, with countenances and tones
of determination which carry trepidation
10 the lone females of rural homes.
A large portion of these men, no
doubt. are wandering along from town
to city, from east to west, and from
north to south, and rice rerSa, in search
of assistance for which they return no
equivalent. The number of new faces
constantly presented lead to this con-
cluson, that they are always travelling.
They eat at least one meal Il day EACH
and, no doubt, some Of them succeed in
slowing away as many AS four repasts,
when their luck is good. In addition
to what is given them they ''pick up
considerable refreshment by means Of
unconsidered trifles, which are daily and
nightly appropriated from careless and
unsuspecting householders, who leave
small articles of value lying around
around, loose, which are bartercd for
grub"
The cost of these vagabonds to the III
dustrous portion of the community Is
tax amounting to II large sum daily, and
vet there are no Indignation meetings OF
the taxed. On the contrary it has come
to be looked upon as one of the evils OF
housekeeping from which there is no es-
Gaping, except for boardcrs, who look
upon such trials with serene mind from
their positions of careless independence
Where all the tramps come from and
where they go, is an impenctrable mys-
terv. OF course they are looking for
work" but have an extraordinary faculty
of looking long distance for it. Work
for tramps is sort Of mirage which Is
seen only in the distance, leaving naught
but barren wastes where labor was
fancicd to exist in the richest exubcrance'
Their only work seems to be the carry
ing of II small pack mysterious IN char
acter, the contents of which is Il sealed
book to those not of their class. They
are generally stout, healthy-looking men,
of ages from thirty to fifty, and good
appetite; and that describes them all.
They are connoiscurs too in cookery.
They can criticise the coffee and detect
errors and omissions in the bread, or es-
innate the age of the OK from which the
cold roast was obtained with equal dis
elimination and familiarity. They are
free to confess that they are not accus-
toned to coarse or common food, ana
they very frankly inform the good house
wife that 81 was raised as good as ever
YOU Vas" With all their familiarity they
do not forget this pleasant fact or fiction,
and the lady whose husband is away
from home sweating for the daily bread,
meekly accepts this assurance as a fact,
which it would be bad taste or doubtful
policy to contradict. The new tramp
NAV eat his lunch in silence, but frequent
" with An air of dissatisfaction. The
veteran, however, who knows every
thoroushfarc of each city and highway OF
every State, does not hesitate to speak
his mind freely on the character
and quantity of food that is placed be-
fore him.
Again recurring to the greatest mys-
tery connected with these wanderers,
where do all the tramps come from? Pos.
sibly YOU will say the 'panic." But were
there not tramps before the panic, and
will they not be found after it has been
forgotten? Undoubtedly. There must
be other sources from which they spring
and other reasons for their existence.
Every railroad traveller in the United
States must have become struck with the
number of do nothing young men who
are ALWAYS to be seen loafing around rail-
road stations. They are always there;
sitting on baggage trucks or
leaning against the station door
or at the windows of the telegraph
office. From six to ten of these
Young men are generally found idling
about these little hating places in rail-
road towns. About the great depotS of
the cities they are to be found in fortics
and fifties sometimes by the hundred. 1t
has been estimated that there are two
hundred thousand of those young loaferS
in this country.
May they not be trumps in embryo!
The conclusion would not be violation
of reason, and until the contrary is prov
ed il may be set down as fact that at
least the great majority of trampS have
once been young men loafing about rail
road stations. The existancc number and
character of tramps can be accepted for
in no more reasonable manner. If this
theory be not correct what becomes of
those good for nothing young men?
POLICE CoURT.-The following cases
were disposed of at the Police Court yes
terday morning:
Dennis Mcaghin, for aSsaulting Ralph
Whitehead, was fined five dollars and
costs, which he paid.
Tho coso AGAINST Whitehead was dis