The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-01-07
AMONG THE HOP PICKERS.
Picturesque Rural Scenes In
England's Hop DistrictA
Nomadio Existence of the Hoppers and
their Ragged Families

their Ragged Families
The race of horpers is not unknown
10 the most superficial of newspaper
readers. Their sins and misfortunes
are fertile theme, and the paternal
legislature has taken them in hand.
Considered from picturesque tour
lists point of view, the hopper is an
unconventional-lookin person, who
camps about on the river bank in
manner not unsuggestive of the abo-
riginal savage. "Camps" is exactly
the right word, for rows of tents
placed in line Of military precision
are to be seen in the fields. Here the
hopper-just come from Whitechapel-
cooks his dinner at a gypsy-fre, and
his squaw mends rags close by. In
other places the gypsy fires and rag
mending goes on under a convenient
hedge. Elsewhere two old women, of
witch-like features, may be found,
with half dozen children around
them, squatting under the protection
of a steam roller. Three crooked
sticks propped up against one anoth
er over about as much fire as would fill
a moderate sized saucer stand in front,
and at this kitchen they are cooking
something mysterious in passing
strange fashion. Hoppers are of all
ages, of both sexes, and, as far as can
be seen, of various ranks. The great
majority are ragged enough, though
even about them there is vague
something which suggests that the
rags are at least partly voluntary.
Many are obviously too well fed to
belong to the utterly poor who go
half-naked; and if their attire is of the
toughest, it may be partly because
they are too wise to camp out in more
decent raiment. They have bundles,
obviously full of something, with
them, and large variety of pots and
pans. Now and then one sees men,
and even women, among them who
belong, apparently, to the class of
work-people in pretty regular employ
ment. At times, to be sure, one catches
sight of close cropped bullet head,
suggestive of a very recent "slx
MONTHS" but it is the exception. On
thae ayhcle, the hoppers give onethe i'm
preston that they are much more or
derly body than seems consistent with
the nomadic nature of their trade. For
many Of them, indeed, the work is reg
ular enough. There are some families
which come yearly to the same farms,
and write carefully beforehand to ask
when the hopping is to begin. On the
whole, the hopping season seems to
represent their month at the sea- side
aholiday of work under healthy condi-
tions. In the rainy weather they
must have bad time, particularly
those who are lodged in tents. A
large proportion are put into long out
houses, built for the purpose, and used
for no other These sheds are wind
and water tight, and abundant clean
straw is supplied for beds. Though not
luxurious. these houses are not actual
ly indecent, and are decidedly superior
to an average London slum. Doctor
Johnson, who believed in the healthi-
ness of Londoners, would have been
gratilied to learn that the Kent far
mers prefer the town hoppers to the
country, or, as they are called, home
hoppers; because the former stand
bad weather better than the 9TH
ers, who have been accustomed to an
open air life all their days. In point
of character. the hopper reaches to a
certain level of respectability. He OF
she belongs to the race of Autolycus
They cannot resist any triae they find
lying about, but they seldom NEEDLE
with serious thieving. Violence is
not unknown among them; but in the
remoter parts of Kent, which may be
said to include the Midway valley, it i:
reported to be the exception.-Maga-
zine.