New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-28
rRAurs AND 7aEIR HOUSES IN EyGLAyn
From The PnH NcH Gn-efie.

From The Pan Mel gazette
All regular tramp hOuses-there are irregular
ones with peculiar ana nOteN Orthy teatures-are
licensed tayerns, spiiIt-hOuseS, or as the phrase
goes on the road. blngo kens y from It, tidHcO.
white the color OF g!nl. Most OF these cer ses are
very old indeed, aud some the oldest in the
kingdom. Every one OF these houses is known Tar
and wide. No tramp let him come from where he
may ever enters a town without very teiOite
ideas a. TO the houuse where he Is 10 put up. lie
has learned all about it-ay, hundred miles OF;
and he goes 10 II as readily. ana, when inside
conforms as smoothly TO all it's ways, rs though he
bad been born within ITS precincts. The custom OF
such house is constant. The tramp stream
thther is perennial, and maintains about the same
level season alter season and year after year.
This kind of people, indeed. VIII halt here and no.
where else long rs the house continues to MAIN
tain its re pltatlOn among them; and they are
much more profitable company than most pe0pe
would imagine. In a great many instances the
tramp-hOuse is managed by the same family for
age after age. There Is one-the coal or as tne
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 Parliament as records
in the possession of the landlord show. They arc
inst the sort tC conduct such house successfully.
In stature the family has always been gigantic;
little too stOhd ana surly, perhaps but IN temper
and tastes tramp all over. FOR one thing nobody
ever heard OF a regular marriage taking place
among them. The eldest son takes over the house
during the " Old mans life. The younger sons, as
a rule join the police in their native town or else
where, but by preference III London. Wherever
they settle, hOweveT-and the fact is worthy of
notice-they remain to the last IN the full comb
been brought up.
IL is the landlords of these tramphouse who
keep up the vagabOnd organization, and who
renew and circulate It's signs and passwords from
time 10 time The vagabOnds themselves could
not do it. and never think of doing IT, 10 Is dill
cult To gIve an idea OF the beggar paSSw ord and
sign system: but we will do the best can. lie
mas TO common centre ana no uniformity. There
may be- and probably there are. nifty different sets
of them i'm use in England. Each has Its own
domain, and these domains InteIsect one another
in cHrOus fashion. These landlords form small
circles among themselves according 10 conilguiiy;
and a dozen to twenty Of these small circles Will
form one great one. 4 great circle of tramp land
lOTds-perhaps it were better to call It oval may
spread fifty miles along one of the great highways
ana ten to fifteen niles on each side Of II. AuG
tar the set of signs and pasN Ords IN therein
good Tor three months, when they are regularly
changed. A tree tramp pays threcpence fof the
sign and password every Time they are renewed.
All he has do these occasions Is t. 90 to any
landlord OF the right sort. give IN tie old slgn ana
password in due form. and pay his pence Ana he
has TO pay again every time he enters new
circle Experience teaches him very well the
precise bounds of each However when he mani
tests ignorance this point. he Is very soon SET
urpt bV the landlord and must purchase me II q
dom of The new circle IN the usual way. lie meets
with little difficulty here, provided the pence are
forthcoming. For the tramp Landlord can tell IN
an instant, by the word and sign gwen ny Inc
tramp whether the latter Is one Of the Hghi sort
or not Password and sign, indeed serve. among
other things as means whereby tramp LANDLORDS
levy a tax upon VagaOOnds all oVei the country.
The uses Of this yagab0ud lreemas0nry are mani
fold. IL teaches tut NaBdOonl NhOlh ne may NilOls
cousort and Uahc with everywhere. The man
who gives the right response TO mystic word anu
sign Is Invariably the one IN whom confidence may
be safely reposed. On the roadside the exchahge
of these tokens is Immediately followed by a free
exchange of recent experiences, To the beheht OF
both parties. Nor Is tins all he vagIant out 81
luck is entitled to all the assistance his more for
tunate brother can render, and invariably receives
it, fortunate vagrant never objects Ia picking
up "a brother IN bad plight and treating HIN TO
supper bed aud breakfast. besides starting lim on
his next days journey with few pence IN ms
pocket. The unIuItiated vagrant notices, a. lie
cannot help noticing, the constant use OF these
signs and cOuntersIgns on the road. aud TIE elects
thai follow them IN numerous Instances. lie often
sees a fellow rs badly on as himself picked mp ana
made much of by perfect stranger and for ID
reason on earth that he can see, except that one
addresses another witt an apparently unmcanng
catchword. lie picks up the word ana employs IL
OF, all occasions the hope that some time or other
il may bring the like fortune To himself. Other
silly ones catch It from HIM. and use IT, Tor no
reason AT all that they can give a. "a sanitation.
Thus spread over the country such phrases ms;
" Have you seen SIMPSON, Is Murphy n5htT
81 f,th ar