Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-03


illustrated by series Of outline sketches, very
cleverly drawn and creditably engraved.
California As It Is" compactly filed vol
ume OF some two hundred pages, published by
the San Francisco Cal, is work that gives a
large amount Of information concerning the
varied resources and attractions of that state.
interesting to the general reader, it has special
value for those who think Of moving westward.
Tranps and their Houses i'm ENGLAND.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.
All regular tramp-houses-t are irregular
ones with peculiar and noteworthy features
are licensed taverns, spirit-houses, or, as the
phrase goes on the road, "bnjo kens," 0rom
1t. bidnco, white, the color of gin) Most Of
these licenses are very old indeed, and some
are the oldest in the kingdom. Every one of
these houses is known far and wide. No tramp.
let him come from where he NAV. ever enters
a town without very definite ideas as to the
house where he is to put up. He has learned
all about it-aye: hundred miles off, and he
goes to 1t as readily. and, when inside, conforms
as smoothly to all its ways, as though he had
been born within its precincts. The custom of
such house Is constant. The tramps stream
thither is perennial, and maintains about
the same level season after season
indeed, will halt here and nowhere else
so long as the house continues to MAIN
tain Its reputation, among them; and they are q
much more profitable company than most people
would imagine. In great many instances the
tramp-house is managed by the same family for
age after age. There is one-the Goat, or. as
the genuine tramp prefers to term it, the Welsh
BuffalO-at W, which has been held by the
same people since the days of the Long Parlia-
ment, as records in the possession Of the land
lord show. They are just the sort to conduct
such house successfully. In stature hefamily
has always been gigantic; q little too stold and
surly, perhaps but in temper and tastes tramp all
over. For one thing, nobody ever heard Of q
regular marriage taking place among them
The eldest son takes over the house during the
'oid mans" life. The younger sons, as rule,
tOln the police In their native town or else
where, out by preference in London. Where
ever they settle, however-and the fact is WORTHY
OF nOtice-they remain to the last in the full
confidence Of the fraternity among which they
have been brought up.
keep up the vagab0nd organization, and who
renew and circulate it's signs and passwords from
time to time. The vagabonds themselves could
not do 1t, and never think Of doing it. 1t is
difficult to give an idea Of the beggar password
and sign system; butwe will do the best we can.
There may be, and probably there are, fifty
different sets Of them In use in England. Each
has its own domain, and these domains intersect
one another In curious fashion. These landlords
form small circles among themselves according
to contigufty; and dozen to twenty of these
great circle Of tramp landlords-perhaps
1t were better to call it oval-may spread
fifty miles along one of the great highways and
ten to fifteen miles on each side Of it. And 30
far the set Of signs and passwords in use therein
are good for three months, when they are regu-
ar fro
for the sign and password every time they are
All he has to do on these occasions
Is to go to any landlord Of the right sort give
in the old sign and password In due form, and
pay his pence. And he has to pay again every
time he enters new circle. Experience teaches
him very we'll the precise bounds of each. How
ever, when he manifests ignorance on this point,
he is very soon set right by the landlord and
must purchase the freedom Of the new circle in
the usual way. He meets with little difficulty
here, provided the pence are forthcoming. For
the tramp landlord can tell in an instant, by the
word and sign given by the tramp, whether the
latter is one Of the right sort or not. Password
and sign, indeed, serve, among other things, as
a means whereby tramp landlords levy q tax
upon vagabonds all over the country.
The uses OF this vagab0nd freemasonry are
manifold 1t teaches the vagabond whom he
may safely consort and traffic with everywhere
The man who gives the right response to mystic
word and sign Is Invariably the one in whom
confidence may be safely repOsed. On the road
side the exchange of these tokens is immedi-
ately followed by a free exchange Of recent ex-
periences, to the benefit Of both parties Nor
is this all. The vagrant out OF luck is entitled
to all the assistance his more fortunate brother
can render, and invariably receives it, A fortu-
nate vagrant never objects to picking up a bro
ther in bad plight and treating him to supper,
bed. and breakfast, besides starting him on his
next day. journey with few pence In his pocket
The uninitiated yagTant notices, as he cannot
help noticing, the constant use Of these signs
and cOuntersgns on the road, and the effects
that follow them In numerous instances He
often sees fellow as badly off as himself picked
up and made much OF by perfect stranger, and
for no reason On earth that he can see. EXCEPT
that one addresses another with an apparently
unmeaning catchword. He picks up the word
and employs it on all occasions, in the hope
that sometime or other 1t may bring the like
fortune to himself Other silly ones catch it
from him, and use It. for no reason at all that
they can give, as . salutation. Thus spread
over the country such phrases as, ssHave you
seen Simpson 2" lis Murphy right2" sis your
father working2"
The contract with the Quebec government for
s1e SAFE OF the eastern section oe the Quebec,
Montreal, OTTAWA and Occidental YAslWSy he's
Aoom N&ER04. tia