The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-16
TRlmps OF LONDON.
Methods. Manners and Morals Of
the Deyotees 10 Incidence.
A Creature ef Rssnanee-His kduea-
tion--A Meager Breakfasf-At the
Pawuhreker's-Thes Summer Tramp
Invariably Civil and Respectful

QEe Of the best examples OF Lol-
don's low hvers Is the tramp. and him
IN his many varieties We will consider
London tramps have more freedom
than the tramps of the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts possess, because there Is
more attention-almost q sentimental
attention-paid in England 70 the
freedom OF the subject" and TO the
liberty OF the streets" So long as the
tramp moves on" ike Poor Joe,
he is let alone. Vagrancy is winked
at by the authorities. These do not
wish any more charges on the par
ish" than they are Obliged to incur or
take notice of. In the daytime they
are entirely lost sight OF in the swirl OF
the human tides, and they are only TO
be well studied AZ nighttime.
A ramps name i usually an as
sumed one. He selects some name IN
fiction. the drama. poetry or annals OF
criminals, which appeals 10 his innate
sense OF fitness 10 his oEn case, OF
yields itself to the glamour in which
he revels. For he is creature OF
romance He cherishes IN his veins
the ideal traditions of the Romany,
though there be no drop OF gypsy
blood in his poor body. He is often
very intelligent. cursed alone with
chronic laziness. Provided he is not
an idiot from birth he is never hope
iessly ignorant His life in the streets
has sharpened his wits and developed
a certain form of low cunning which,
ii not intelligence, surely stands
Cousin German" to it.
THE TgAaP's EDUCATION.
Very seldom. indeed, is he unable 20
read. He feasts on the daily paper-,
acquiring rough-shoi knowledge OF
politics, and knoNing perfectly ali the
questions discussed in both hodses OF
parliament. How does he procure the
papers you ask? Nothing is easier.
In certain parishes one or more of the
d2ilies is pasted on the regular bill
boards along the street. One-half
viii be pasted under the other half,
the two papers giving one paper com
plete when spread out. Before these
the tramp stands in the very early
morning With his hands thTu>t in
his poe. cts, his broken shoes, or bare.
dirty feet. his rags and tatters, he Is
truly a grotesque object.
lie rambies in the dawn past the
penny and ha'penny cocoa shops, oc-
casionaliy pausing At one. From the
grating fronting the establishment
issue the fumes Of boiling co,oa, tea.
coffee and fight breakfast viands
This Is sometimes his sole breakfast.
He feasts on the appetizing steam in
long inhalations. OFTEN a pasSer-by
oestows on him a penny or two which
he quickly invests in this shop, forti-
tying himself thus for his long, mono
tonous day. He does not necessarily
beg. His attitude is in itself q mute
petition for aims. If he does beg it is
with proud depreciation: Sir, be-
stow on me the price of a cup OF
cocoa; a ha'peany, ii you please.
Seldom Is such an appeal uttered in
vain, and SO universal is politeness
here that the poor tramp bows and
thanks the giyer grandiloquently. He
even thanks him If the coin be refused.
Before the windows OF the pawn
brokers' shop the tramp may next be
seen, gazing intently at the pledged
loot. Poor fellow Who knows but
that he may be casting furtive glances
at some unredeemed trinket, once his,
now put on sale. 1t fascinates him to
keep thus TO thread even of personal
proprietary rights. The old print
shops interest him as well. Perhaps
he likes eurios because he is himself 4
species of human curio.
He is very dirty. very disreputable
in appearance, very gone to seed" in
and he is very smelly per-
son withai. His face Is never animated
in expression. But if he lacks ANNA
ton of yisage he makes up for it in
IS -
pray, get too near him, else you may
learn to yonr sorrow that misery" has
made him acquainted with strange
bedfellows.
DIVIDED INTO SEASONS.
Tramps are divided into seasons.
There is the tramp of the summer.
He may work in the winter or the re-
verse. He IS happieSt in the summer,
when deserted alleys, mows, gates and
doorway, above all the bridges, afford
him shelter. lie is most miserable in
the winter, when he, like the woman
vagrant, IS driven TO the casual wards.
In the long, cold, wet nights OF autumn
he procGres practical umbrella un-
der some friendly portico. and thus
may keep little dry, which is better
than TO be soaking wet. In spring
time he haunts the markets ieasting
on caobage-leayes or early turnips
dropped from an overloaded country
wagon, emptying its treasure trove
later on, garnered in Kent, Surrey.
Sussex and Middle>ex rural dis
tricts. | have seen these wand
erers lurking almost under the
wheels OF market carts, scram-
bling for The bit of dropped
green stuff before 1t reached the
ground. There is pub, or public
house in old Covent Garden market
which is opened at daylight for the
of the market gardeners.
who have Travelled often since the new
day began with their produce on mar
ket days. This PM does a lively
trade in bitter beer AMI spirits.
The tramp. like an evil shadow, in
sinuates himself inside the door uu-
known 10 the bartender Crouching
down to the door he seizes the market
mans emptied glass to drain the few
drops which remain, or to pick up the
biscuit which he has tossed one side.
Ere any one IS aware he hes vanished
as he came, thirg 'of shTedS and
patches, a denlzen of the night shade.
have seen and cuuverScd with
every grade OF street tramp. and
have invariably found him civil. re-
spectlUi and II rough way chiyai-
rOus. | have come down 10 his level.
and never attempted 10 reform him or
thrust wise saws upon him. ikea Suu-
day garment, Sp;ck and span for the
piuinl oCca-lau- Treating him as
conraGe tuv the n0uce, | have taken
him into my confidence. nor has he
abused that same. Admitting him by
tagit invitation into the boundless
realms oi Bohemia, I have learned OF
his manners aus customs. his tricks
and his qUlps. to ms heart content. I
have never paiTanizei him. nor loitlY
called him "wy good man" Bot when
our unconventional interview was
ended I've asked him to accept q shil-
IHs to drink my health and happi-
ness, nor have | disdained to thank
him for his newspaper copy 0hligngly
given me. For than one moment the
tramp has respected him elf, and 4
glcaui OF human Kindness has found
= W1F ~ his tH.-DfE ha4rf