The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-18
THE TRAMP IN HISTORY.
Vngabondism Socially. Morally
and fIfiigtausly Considered.

! aHu AtHSttuSty NouSiucFeu.
P. H. shiliaber. 10 tho Boston Journal.
In all ages OF the world vagabondism
has existed and puzzled the heada of the
wiseSt in devising cures for il and rene.
dies sgainst it. Laws innumerable, with
the severest penalties, have been enacted
to control it, but it has lived, neverthe-
less, deiyiug all opposition, revealing in
many forms, and never without resources
to annoy and deceive.
An old German writer speaks OF the
period between 1850 and 1850 as the
golden sge for mendicants, and gives the
fact, moreover, that nendicancy was
"practiCed less from necessity than pleas
IRE; indeed, twas puraued like regu.
lar calIiHG."
The earliest book upon the subject Of
beegars and yagabonds generally was
written in 1909 by an unknown author,
the first printed edition Of which appear.
ed in Augsburg, between 1912 and 1914
and was entitled "Liber Vagatorum," or
Book Of Vagabonds. This little book in
the original comprised but twelve pages
and was very coarsely and crudely writ.
ten, and yet it was considered worthy oil
commendation by the great DR.. Martin
Luther, who, amid all his duties at that
momenLous time, wrote = preface for it.
which is very unique in It's way. | can
not repress smile Of satisfaction a.
read the old reiormer's confession, nnwil.
lingly made; that he has been sWindled by
yagabonds. What avolume Of anecdotes
might be written Of those who have been
thus cheated. whose kind hearts have
been deceived, bu; who, perhaps made
more shTewd, but most likely not, never
fs!ter in their disposition to do, even at
the risk Of further deception. Ia the
"Liber Vagatorum" there are twenty.
five kinds OF vagabondism described, the
arts OF most Of which are obsolete, but
enough il shown TO prove that the rrin.
ciple OF fraud remains unchanged, how.
ever the forms may differ. The author
happily discriminatcs between the I'm.
fortunate beggar and the cheat, saying
that there is many cody man who
begs unwillingly, and feels ashamed be.
lore those VINO knew HIM formerly When
he was better of, and before he was COM
pelIed to beg" and commends such to
Tue benevolent: The rest he cla'Siiles,
an" OF these ! select lew a. bearing
upon our own time.
l., !; The ssabulars, or Bead Githsrer,, who b'E
r1aE G1GS hISos " o. 'e,sn hs Sks and car
be E1ca them in the name oi ali The .sIaIs se;,
cfaiy.
| Occasionally, in the country, such
groups are seen here, objects Of The deem.
est pity, and il not begging in The name
OF inc SAINTS, present appeals Tor charity
before which doubt is banished.
. The Io,.cDs,, =, ,.l,o...., :. ,..-.-,-.
on .rr6unt al pr,tSns' n.y. UssseI'
S'IsNcu'.% VI P'''ehued lnPFi'onmcnts for ton
Since the war u.nv of,,..a l. 80 ,,..,
sented themselvsa NJ, ;ra /. ..s f,e,,
at ,imcs 10 decide which y Il. W.! ~, nary ss'l
which the false. One of nv m a,aS. s' ",
long since appealed IN an ...'o; S'G's Ho y
which he affirmed Thai he w,s ! nnnaho "
and proved himself such, telling +" fs,,t,,l
tale Of wrong done him. iSn,;s"rsI
property burnt. wife and child fs.,;,m ."
his ncy;lon. a.r,ra .nI Lnn.i Sr...s.