The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1884-01-16
AHEAD OF THE WINTER.
tcencs In the Stntldn-A Movement TOWARD
locking, Ub the Chta.ie tnRrnria-Thrbo
iundrca sent TO jan.
from the New York Sun.l

the parks, ihe, empty wagons, the eta,
tidn house lodging room, the socalled
distilleties, Snd On the ,stinhy sides. Of
the streets. Tine ,odh.tt hpa ~ 'hht
time begun to lose its attractions for
them. Chilly winds were blowing, the
grass became brown, the roads grew
hard, and Tic barns lot in tl,h cold; So
the disiointed army faced toward the
city and came to it in every conceivable
way, and by every road and railroad
The majority walked, some stole ri les
on top of freight cars, and under other
cars; some rode in farm wagons, and
some In canal boats, sclto6pefs uhd
steamboats,. Now nearly all have ar.
rived, Ind have begttn the winter rou.
tine Of begging, washing borrooms,
lounging about and sleeping in the po-
lice stations. When the sun shines the
parks are full of them. When it rains
no one knows where they spend the
time.
Sergeant Creeden was behind the
desk In the Eldridge street station
Capt. Allairel when the tramps began
to file In at half.past o'clock one even.
ing to get their lodgings for the night.
Mofe tfainps 90 to that station than to
any other, for some reason. There is
very little formality about the securing
or the giving of nights lodging. The
Sergeant presides behind the big desk,
the doorman stands idly by. The tramp
comes in, shuilles up to the desk, and
stops before the iron rail waiting for the
Sergeant to cease writing and look MP.
The Sergeant sees him recognizes him
or recognizes his quality, and says: "All
right; go to bed" Then the doorman
stirs himself, the tramp shuilles across
the room, door bangs, lock rattles,
and the tramp lies down on u slnnting
platform of boards with his coat under
his arm, perhaps, and either talks to the
Others lying there with him, or else
goes 10 sleep. The lodging tooin IL In
most stations n big SQUARE apartment,
with an aisle up the middle and slant
ing platform on either side, the slant of
the platforms being from the wall down
to the passage way, with fall of six
inches in six feet. In the room for
women there may be n bit of looking
glass on the wall over the iron wash
sink.
The lodgers file in one at time, all
coming along within nm hour on either
side Of o'clock. Here is how they
look! Here is man In tattsred tne-
rino Office coat with n cane, on which he
leans when lie walks. He is rough
bearded and blear eyed. He wears one
boot and one shoe The next man is
stout aud broad shoullered, not more
than 30 years old. His skin is sun
bronzed, and he has n bushy growth of
black hair almost all over his face. He
wears straw hat. He has = most curl
ous slouch in his gait. His knees
spring, his shoulders roll, and his back
bends in and out. In spite OF his heavy
frame aud outward signs OF strength, q
racking cough is torturing him. Next n
port little old woman trips in. Every.
thing about her is faded. Her hair has
the dead tone of straw, her eyes are
weak and bleached looking, her skin is
colorless. Her once red shawl and
originally gay calico skirt have lost the
life that once was in their colors. HeI
bonnet is of faded straw with faded
flowers uponit. She curtsies and trips
ont of sight. Next, a wcll.built young
man steps In with n heavy football, and,
pausing, holds the door ajar until broad.
iaced smiling, stout little woman comes
softly along, carrying something in her
arms. She lifts itup toward one shoulder,
lets it settle back in her arms in a new
position, swings it and herself and her
skirts all together from one side to
another with semi circular movement,
and says, "Sh-h-h-h." The thing in her
arms is baby, done up in an old shawl.
The Sergeant has been saving that
something ought to be done TO discour-
age the chronic idleness and vagabond-
age of the tramps. He thinks they
should be made to work Tor the State.
Without having heard Capt. Allaire talk
upon the subject he expresses the snme
sentiments MS the Captain, that is to say
hat if the tramps had to work for their
lodgings, OF if, when they were punished
for disorderliness, they were obliged tc
serve out their terms ut street cleaning
or road repairing, or whatever the State
selects for them to do, there would soon
he an end to tramps in New York.
That is what he is saying when the
young man, woman and baby come in.
He bows to them pleasantly and moves
his head in the direction of the lodging
room and they disappear.
"Now, that's curious case," he says.
THAT young man is German. 1t is
astonishing how many German tramps
have come here lately. Nearly one-hali
the tramps that come here are Germans.
That's something never noticed unit
this year. That man is n German. His
wife is young Scotch woman. They
seem to be trying to do something, and
we have taken an interest in them. We
let him do little work around here,
washing the floor, bringing up coal and
one thirg or another. They stick to
one another persistently day after day.
They probably were married when he
had employment, but he has cefallen
into hard luck. About two years ago
we had to send her to the hospital,
where her baby was born. 1t is not
more than ten days old. think le'll
get something to do very soon. We
helped young man along once before.
He got into bad luck, and used to come
here, and we got interested in him. He
There is silent war waging upon the
tramps in Eldridge street,> New York.
Captain Allaire is having them locked
up. He has had 800 dealt with thus far
this season. Only those are arrested
who come night after night, and who
show in many ways that they are not
merely unfortunate, but are determined
not to help themselves. Others, who
are believed to be searching for employ
ment, are not disturbed. The various
Police Justices deal differently With