New Ulm weekly review., 1886-12-22
SLEEPING ON a ROPE.

The Cold snap Makes New York
Tramps Hang Themselves on
Line-A Curious Lods-
1nR-House with No
Beds
The nights are growing colder, and
benches in the parks are in less de-
naand, writes New York correspond
ent of The Cincinnati Enquirer. A
tramp. if he is tough and doesn't mind
cold feet, can find a lodging place now
without trying more than one square.
and if he is particular about it he can
have whole bench to himself. Busi-
ness at the cumming hotels off the
Bowery is picking up in proportion to
the falling off of park patronage. The
gentleman of inelegant leisure who can
acquire 5 cents goes to dive where
beer dregs are kept on draught, pays
his nickel for drink, and has the privi-
lege of sitting on bench for the rest
OF the night. If the place is not crowd
ed he can lie down, but he has to get
his legs out of the way, and sleep sit
ting up if more guests arrive, as his
nickle entities him only to one seat.
For tramps out of luck there was to-
day discovered less expensive lodging
place on the East side. The proprietor
formerly had benches in the back room,
but his patrons were the more disorder
~ class Of wanderers, and they broke
up SO many benches during their bolster
Gus disagreements that the profits were
. absorbed in repairs to the furniture.
Therefore he has discarded benches and
! chairs and stretches three stout ropes
across the room, two at the height OF
four feet from the floor, and one at
about foot and half. He draws
staler beer than the bench-houses keep,
and charges only cents a glass. The
purchaser of glass of beer &C.
quires the privilege of leaning
against rope all night, and sleeping
there if he can. Early customers get
the low rope, and can sit on the floor
with their backs against the cable. By
throwing the arms over the rope and
letting it support the body under the
arm-pits, an attitude of sy ybaritish COM
fort is attained. An old customer said:
Its a little tough at first, boss, but
you try it for a few weeks and it's
reg lar swell snoozin' I've got cal
louses on my back and under my arms,
and that ere ropes fine as live feathers
now. Yer oughter try it." Late
comers have to put up with less luyrlri
| Gus accomm odations on the high line,
standing up and hanging over it i'll such
posture as the individual fancy or ex-
| perjence suggests. Late at night this
unique lodginghouse presents a pict-
uresque appearance. Some Of the guests
have their backs against the ropes and
their arms over it,-an attitude of
some dignity and ease,-but those who
are notoriously addicted to snoring
are constrained by pressure Of public
opinion to reverse the position and
hang over the high line with their
breasts against it and faces downward.
The proprietor usually cautions knew
guests that gentlemen who snore are
not permitted to sleep on their backs.
Toward morning, if the house is full,
| the rope gets saggy in the middle, and
the guests are inclined to slide down
! from the ends toward the middle,
which tends to crowd the line worse
than three in a bed and promote DIS
cord, ill-temper, and kicks. Guests
are supposed to depart at 6 A. NJ. and
promptly at 6:10 o'clock the hose is
turned on the floor, which never fails
to arouse the sluggards. There is a
tradition among the patrons that
humorous tramp once soaped the floor
under the high ropes, and made it inn
possible for guest to maintain any other
than a strictly erect posture. AS soon
as anybody began to doze his feet slid
away from him, and he came down
with painful emphasis The weak
point in the tradition is in attributing
to one of the fraternity the ownership
or the Intimate acquaintance with. a
piece of soap. However, the fact that
cleats have been nailed to the floor in
front of the ropes gives an appearance
of probability to the story.