The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-06-07
Curious Types of human Nature.
Henry Clark.

To study man we must use the old adage
of the classic Carbohydrates and con-
quer." Here are races, sex, color, language,
country, size, age, education, condition of
servitude, development of the nation, gov
eminent, and hundred other scientific
means of classification. These, however,
are terms better known to science pure and
simple than to US who pursue the study of
mankind with our eyes open.
Suppose, among the people whom W.
meet, we select the most curious and strik-
ing of the classes of them as they appear
and are known among common people
Here slang may take the place of vernscu-
lar, or rags and poverty be the garb Of some
of their species. They are yet mankind,
despite their DISCUSSES, and as truly belong
to the ruder classes of men as the barbarian
and the savage. Before us then pass in re-
view FIVE outcasts-the tramp, the "hood-
lum," the "beat," the "gsmin," the street
Arab.
The tramp is demorslized man. He ID
| full grown, and has once been q man, with
capacities for usefulness with some consid-
cradle education. never saw an 'ignor.
ant" tramp, but his faculties have by some
excess, or by some waste of vitality, slowly
slipped away from him. He is not capable
of committing any organized crime, or any
mischief requiring forethought and calcula-
ton. He is an impulsive animal, compar-
atively harmless when not reused to phren-
zy, but utterly untrustwOrthy and wholly
good for nothing. There is no hope what
ever of his reformation.
The "hoodlum" is a boy. He may, BY
slang lang usge, properly be called a 'kid.'
irresponsible, genial, CHEEKY, cordial, witty
innocent withal, and perfectly Trustworthy
when his affections are wholly engaged
he makes most promising pupil in any
science which he is ready to master, and Ii
a hopeful subject for reform alton, if he will
stand the training. Bat he is tender, and
will break down under too strong pres.
sure.
The cheat" differs from the tramp in thai
he does not wander from place to place tC
place. He selects his field of operation
goes deliberately to work, plans to get hi
dinner or his privilege-for nothing, o
eourse-and generally accomplishes his OBJ
iect. He can be easily managed, and il
rarely offended by plain talk.
The 'gsmin," a French importation, stay
anywhere, goes to the Theatre Comique
where he whistles, spplauds, is delighted
above measure by the good things he sees
He sells newspapers, blacks boots, tells thu
trr tn when to his own interest, disappear
at fifteen years of age, goes. nobody know
where's but his place is speedily filed b,
another crop, which is perennial. He cal
be done very little with. All bootblack
are not gsmins, but verv respectable peopl,
generally.
The street Arab is a wild animal In
crowd, he is upon tn edge thereof Wher
8 fight occurs he is either spectator or al
actor. His clothing is thin and narrow ant
misersbly shabby. But he is as cheerful a
any melan choly animal can be; philo.oph
ically makes the best of everything. lfyol
catch him, make note of him, for seldom
does he come out of civilized regions. Ill,
can never. dwell in houses; he loves the pur
air where he roves Education would ruiz
him, culture make him still more melan
ch5ly.
And thus FIVE classes of people may b.
found in every society. Such is their char
acter, as distinctly stamped upon them a
the die stamp upon silver dollar.