The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-10-14
THE PROFESSIONAL TRAMP In EN-.
GLAND.

UAANDs
In England, as elsewhere, the pro-
fess;onal tramp prospers because he
makes it his business to get at the weak
side of everybody in skillful wise. He
has always All os:ensible pursuit, which
he varies according to circumstances,
and under cover of which he begs and
swindles almost without being felt. But
let us take professional tramp on his
rounds. Here we find some difficulty
IN making choice among the numerous
varieties OF fenccrs and takers. hawkers
and dodgers, that compose the body.
There are hundred and fifty snch va
rieties at least, every one having its
own .pcculiarities, and every one well
worth studying. The putter-up will
serve our purpose as well as any. This
is parsonage who travels about to pro-
cure information for house breakers,
He is never alone. because he is well
aware that there are places to which he
can never gain access, be his skill and
plausibility what they may, and per-
sons who will never allow him to ap-
proach them, while in most instances a
duly accomplished female will accom-
plish with ease the task which he finds
impossible. The man himself is pre-
possessing and intelligent, always has
great amount of multifarious informa-
ton, and not infrequently is highly edu-
Gated, and the woman is even more in
terest ng than himself.
Inc pair reach the scene of opera
tons, and betake them to different
houses. Though they hunt in couples,
it would not do for them to show them
selves to the public too much together.
Each puts up at a quiet and highly re-
spectacle lodging. Toward evening the
man drops in at the tramp-house, where
such visitors are common. Hither are
bound to come for information all those
predatory rascals who are compelled to
maintain appearances, and who, there
fore, dare not lodge in the tramp-houses.
The usual signs pass between landlord
and visitor. and the latter explains that
he requires certain information concern
ing the neighborhood. He is shown
into little gloomy hole, barely larger
than good-sizcd cupboard, but well
away from eaves-droppers and obscrva-
ton, and therefore just the place for
confidential colloquy between two shady
people. In little while the agent
makes his appearance. He is a gray
haired. gaunt, weather-beaten veteran.
very much stopped at the shoulders,
and in very shabby attire. He has a
patch over one eve. The remaining
one. however. is bright enough. end the
unshaven face is hard and shrewd-
looking. A reputation for extreme age
enables him to assume the dr.vcl Of Sc
nifty whenever awkward people. as the
police, poster him with awkward ques-
tons. lie has been a fixture in the
tramp-house for eight or nine years past
ever since he was taken on to fill the
place OK just such another who had re-
treated 10 tie work-house to die in
peace. This one will do the same in his
turn ere long, and then there will be an
other broken-down tramp ready to fill
the vacancy. Ostensibly he is wood
chopper, boot-cleaner, messenger, and
that sort of thing. In reality he is adj
wiser of the tramps frefuenting the
house concerning the best routes, the
best houses along them, and the best
ways of utilizing both, for forty miles
round. He has traversed them all,
highway and by-way, over and over, in
days gone by; and constant intercourse
with vagabonds of all sorts and from
all quarters keeps him just as well ac-
quainted with this wide stretch of coun-
try, and all that concerns tramps there
in, as he was in his best days. There is
no tramp-house in the kingdom without
such retainer; in fact, he is indispens-
able.
The old man carries roll of papers
and ledger, which he places on the
table beside the visitor. Their in
tercourse begins with little drinking
and hobnobbing; and while they are so
engaged we will take look at the
roll. First CONFESS large travelling map
of England, with all the roads laid
down, and the distances from town to
town carefully marked. This is as it came
from the publisher; but there is good
deal more besides. 1t is thickly marked
in most directions, especially in the coun-
ties adjoining this particular tramp
house, with crosses, squares, diamonds,
ovals. triangles, and other marks neatly
drawn in ink. and all very pregnant of
meaning to the interpreter; and he will
instruct the querist of the moment in
every one that concerns his projected
tramp and its business, but not par
ticle beyond The cross denotes that
tiCiO tiiC fcASS 0AC Owl Sh, anu VIC
diamond that they are lax; the oval
signifies that there is a house in the
vicinity where the tramp may dispose of
any little trife he may pick up on the
way, and he is instructed how to make
the acquaintance of its keepers; and the
square intimates that there is charity
hard by which may be laid under con-
tribution. Other signs tell the char
acters of the tramp-houses along the
road and of their keepers, and whether
they stand well with the authorities or
not. In addition the tramp gets the
names of the gentry along the line of
march, with useful hints concerning
themselves and their domestic usazes.
Inside the map is folded plan of the
immediate ncighborhood. and with this
our putter-up and the interpreter are
soon busy. 1t consists, it may be, of
sheet or two of the Ordinance Survey,
or of a roughly drawn sketch, not quite
so accurate, but as useful in its way.
since it conseys all the information of
the more scientific plan in sufficiently
ineligible form. On this plan IS
marked every house of any consequence,
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