The Grange advance., 1875-12-15
MISCELLANY.
VAGARIES OF VAGABONDAGE.
(FrOm the Chicago Timesl

AOAAA ~AAAS"9o
But not infrequently the ''vag,' intent
on ''making rifle" will "put up job"
and sometimes a pair Of them will travel
together for the better working of some
scheme. A couple of fine ones have con-
cocted capital dodge, that keeps them
on the high road to liquor and free
lunches about all the time.
They are hard.looking crowd. Their
tattered clothes are of the thinnest, and
to keep out the night chills one has
about a quarter part of a shawl-of the
kind that were worn a
dozen years age-over his shoulders.
while the other jauntily sports the cape
of al old light blue army overcoat. Each
affects ''Eids'' of which there is little more
than the wrist band left. AS simple en-.
titles, experience has taught them that
no saloon keeper will long tolerate their
presence. No sooner has one made his
way to the store, and comfortably en-.
sconsed himself, than the proprietor
comes around, taps him gently on the
shoulder, and quite peremptorily inti-
mates that ''this is no place for loungers.
This sort Of treatment coming upon
them every hour of the day, and keeping
them continually on the move, finally
grew monotonous, and after comparing
qualifications they determined to go in
pairs whenever good fortune kept them
CIT of the bridewell or poor house to-
gether, and as they were likely to get in
together, being always in each others
company. they had fair prospects of com.
ing out together for the working of their
little game.
Then
THEY HAD REHEARsALS,
studied each others vulnerable points,
which were legion, and having i'm proved
their vocabulary of billingsgate until
they had reached an almost artistic state
of perfection, entered upon their mis-
sion. :, sa,atEs.
As has been intimated, when venturing
into q saloon alone, they could never
gain foothold, and the thing to do was
to make themselves so agreeable as to in
sure federation. The little play decided
upon between them required certain pre-"
requisites, One was that there should be
two entrances TO the place, at opposite
ends, and that there should be- ~goodly
company present for whose edification
the scene might be enacted. As to the
crowd, Chicago saloons are generally
pretty we'll patronized, and so far as the
other essential is concerned, old, time
temperance laws, which may be
again enforced at any moment, have
made two entrances, one in front and the
other at the side OF rear, almost q neces.
sity to a paying existence. Now let us
observe the modus opera,.di of the
"vags" - - F'"}
They have rcconnoitered the position,
found front and side door, and a peep
through crevice in the blinds has also
convinced them that goodly company
of hail fellows we'll met ION time,''' are
assembled. Nothing could be more
! apropos. Quickly each flies to his posi-
! tiop, and simultaneously one enters at the
\ front and the o:hcrsattherear:"s Naturally
\ enough the attention of the company IS
/ attracted, as it would be, if only casually,
| BY any rew arrivals; but such company
as, this is sure to receive, more than q
pas3ing notice, as each ambles up to the
counter from an opposite direction. They
are . pair that could play = = fsss V : i
y, THE. OLD c.:s1pMs,'
the ..major'' and the ':judge'' in the bar
room scene in exit, the Arkansas Trav-
eler,'' TO the life, by simply personating