Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-29
TRAMPS OF LONDON
METHODS, MANNERS AND MORALS OF
 THE DEVOTEES TO INp3LENCE.

A Creature of Romance-His EducatiOn-A
 The Summer Tramp-Invariably Civil
 and Respectful.
 One of the best examples of London's low flyers 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 eattention-almost sentimental attention-paid in England to the freedom of the subject" and to the 'liberty of the streets" So long as the tramp "moves on" like "Poor Joe" he is let alone. Vagrancy is "winked" at by the authorities. These do not wish any more "charges on the parish" than they are obliged to incur or take notice of. In the day time they are entirely lost sight of in the swirl of the human tides, and they are only to be we'll studied at night time.
 A tramp's name is usually an assumed one. He selects some name in fiction, the drama, poetry or annals of criminals, which appeals to his innate sense of fitness to his own case, or yields itself to the glamour in which he revels. For he is a creature of romance. He cherishes in his veins the ideal traditions of the Romany, though there be no drop of gypsy blood ln his poor body. He is often very intelligent, cursed alone with chronic laziness. Provided he is not an idiot from birth he is never hopelessly ignorant. His life in the streets has sharpened his wits and developed a certain form of low cunning which, if not intelligence, surely stands "Cousin German" to it.
 THE TRAMPs' EDUCATION.
 Very seldom, indeed, is he unable to read. He feasts on the daily papers, acquiring rough shod knowledge of politics, and know | ing perfectly all the questions discussed in both houses of parliament How does he procure the papers, you aska Nothing is | easier. In certain parishes one or more of I the dailies is pasted on the regular bill boards along the street. One-half will be pasted under the other half, the two papers | giving one paper complete when spread out. 1 Before these the tramp stands in the very | early morning With .his hands thrust in his pockets, his broken shoes or bare, dirty | feet, his rags and tatterS he is truly gro | tesque object.
 | He rambles in the dawn past the penny and hapenny cocoa shops, occasionally paus ing at one. From the grating fronting the establishment issue the fumes of boiling cocoa, tea, coffee and light breakfast viands This is sometimes his sole breakfast. He feasts on the appetizing steam in long inhala tions. Often passer by bestows on him g penny or two which he quickly invests ill thi: shop, fortifying himself thus for his long monotonous day. He does not necessarily beg. His attitude is in itself a mute petition for aims. If he does beg it is with a prouC deprecation: "Sir, bestow on me the price oI a cup of cocoa; ha'penny, if you please. | Seldom is such an appeal uttered in vain, anc so univ ersa1 is politeness here that the poo | tramp bows and thanks tEe giver grandilo quently. He even thanks him if the coin b. refused
 Before the windows of the pawnbroker!
 shop the tramp may next be seen, gazing in
 tently 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 It fascinates hin
 to keep thus to a thread even of persona
 proprietary rights The old print shops in
 terest him as well. Perhaps he likes curio
 because he is himself species of human
 curio
 He is very dirty, very disreputable in ap
 pearance, very "gone to seed" in condition
 and he is very smelly person withal. Hi
 face is never animated in expression. But i
 he lacks animation of visage he makes up fo
 it in animation of another sort. Don't, pray
 get too near him. else you may learn to you
 sorrow that misery" has made him acquain
 "with strange bedfellows"
 DIVIDED INTO SEASONS Tramps are divided into seasons. There the tramp of the summer. He may work i the winter or the reverse He is happiest i ) the summer, when deserted alleys, news gates and doorways, above all the bridges
 afford him rest and shelter He is most mis
 erable in the winter, when he, like tn
 woman vagrant, is driven to tho casua
 wards. In the long, cold, wet nights c
 autumn he procures practical umbrella UT
 der some friendly portico, and thus may kee little dry, which is better than to be soal
 ing wet. In spring time he haunts the mal kets, feasting on cabbage leaves or early tul } nips dropped from an overloaded countr , wagon, emptying its treasure trov 3 later on, garnered in Kent, Surrey 5 Sussex and Middlesex rural district have seen these wanderers lurking a
 most under the wheels of market cart ! scrambling for the bit of dropped green stu
 before it reached the ground. There is y ''pub," or public house" in old Covent Ga r den market which is opened at daylight fc the convenience of the market gardeners, ,wh have travelled often since the new day bega with their produce on market days. Tn : ''pub" does a lively trade in ''bitter beer" an spirits. The tramp, like and evil shadov
 insinuates himself inside the door unknow
 to the bartender. Crouching down to u
 floor he seizes the market mans emptied gla 7 to drain the few drops which remain, or pick up the biscuit which be has tossed or : side Ere any one is aware he has vanishe as he came, thing ''of shreds and patches ' o daoi1ap of tho Cioht Shafa