The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-07-03
A PHOTOGRAPHIC TRAMP.

There is nothing criminal about being an
amateur photographer. Nocivilized country
has law against amateur photography, al
though in France and in Germany and other
semi barbarous countries they arrest a man
IL he photographs too near TO their fortifica-
tons. Still the general tendency of modern
cameras is towards concealment. There Is q
camera made which person can put under
his vest and the lens take the place of a vest
button. Other cameras are done up like par
GELS or take the form OF satchel or some
other unobtrusive shape so that the general
passer by may not know that the man he
meets is an amateur photographer. The
trouble with the cameras that have named
is that they are generally too small to take a
picture that is at all satisfactory. Some of
them have no focusing glass and no arrange
ment for letting person know what sort OF
picture he is taking Now use camera
that takes a picture four by five inches,
which think is the smallest size that is OF
any service to a man, although some get
along with what is known as the lantern size.
a size of plate that is large enough to take a
picture that will go into a stereopticon.
The other day ! bought q brand new valise
IN which to conceal my photographing appa-
ratus, and instead of the long aipenstock tri-
pod which have carried heretofore, bought
what is known as ''the daisy tripod" which
folds up into very small compass and can
be packed away in valise that is about
eighteen inches long.
The whole outfit goes into very ordinary
sized valise, and a person moves through a
world like an ordinary traveller who has a
few boiled shirts and clean collars and cuffs
with him
One very hot day found myself In Gin
cinnati, with the forenoon to spare l had
seen Cincinnati often enough, but had never
had a view of the suburbs. Cincinnati, as
everybody knows, is down in hole, and Is
surrounded by hills II you speak to a Gin
cinnatian reproachfully about the humiliat-
ing position his city occupies, he will answer:
"0h, yes, but you ought TO see the suburbs;
the suburbs in Cincinnati are the grandest in
the world.n
Cincinnati suburbs are ON the hill tops, as
they are called, and extend for miles around
tho city. There are two ways of getting VI
ON the hill tops. One is an ordinary incline
railway, the platforms of some OF which are
so large that street car and Il couple OF
horses drive right on it and is waited to the
skies; and when the car gets up there it goes
along for eight or ten miles out in the coun
try. Another way of reaching the suburb.
is by the ordinary cable car, which winds up
to the hill tops by following streets that zig
gag their way up the elevation.
asked a number of Cincinnati men which
the principal suburb was, and it seemed to bt
generally agreed that Clifton was the besi
for a stranger to see. The particular cable
line l patronized took me across Clifton
avenue, and there got Off.
Clifton is an aristocratic suburb that |.
conducted as sort of suburban club. Nc
person Is allowed to get lot there who is moi
acceptable as neighbor to the rest of thu
residents, and when he does get lot he must
build house that will cost over a certain
amount and comply with lot of rules and
regulations all tending to make the place
very exclusive, and oil that
Clifton avenue Is wide street, kept in per
feet condition, and Is bordered on each side
by fine trees. 1t runs straight along for O
bit, then drops down into II valley, rises on
the other side unimpaired winds along for O
long distance and then seems to come to an
abrupt conclusion at fine house that bars
the way.
On each side are great park like lawns with
here and there apalace owned by some aristo-
cratic citizen who has made his money on
hogs or beer. So ungrateful are these aristo-
Gratis that now no beer wagon is allowed
along Clifton avenue and no hog-that is nc
four legged one-is permitted towalk ON that
street.
opened the valise at one point where there
was a fine view of grand mansion away
back among noble trees, and as ! set my
camera there came from palace nearer the
road a troopof merry, well dressed children
who raced down the lawn and cried:
"Please, mister, won't you photograph usF
YES
"Are you going to take Mr.. Blanks houseF
Eyes
"And may we stand here and be in the pic
ture"
''Yes.p
ooh. thank you"
AT this moment the voice Of propriety AND
aristocracy came from out OF the vine shaded
veranda irom some unseen guardian, and IN
q tone of rcuroach was uttered the one word
"Childrcn"
The unfortunate little girls had forgotten
for the moment that they were rich, and they
had rashly taken up with wandering pho
tographer Here was a chance for great fun
but it was denied them They had TO sacri
flee fun to the proprieties, and with longing
lingering and regretful glance at the camera
they slowly departed up to the mansion, and
from the shaded porch took furtiye glances
at the forbidden photographer.
1t is better to be born lucky than rich, es
peclally when person Is young
Now. the thing that got me into trouble at
Clifton was the distaste l have for twics
going over the same road. / did not want t.
go back to Cincinnati over the cable line that
had come out on. thought would wall
through the place, and that would come tc
some other line and go in that way, and thu
see more of the surrounding country.
The day became hotter and hotter. Thu
valise became heavier and heavier. passed
an academy. Public school would be TOT
plebeian name for al institution that wa
to teach the children Of such wealthy people
az live in Clifton; SO they call the place al
academy. Tnen there was an aristocrati'
church. Finally met some one, and said to
him:
"How far Is 1t to street car liner
"Oh, you're going the wrong way The
cable cars are few miles in the other direc-
tion.n
"Yes, know. came that way, and
want to go back another"
THAT'S your best way back to town.
don't know how far 1t is to another line this
way-fve miles, guess"
thought was good for five miles, so
tramped along. The next person l accostec
made it four miles and q half and the nexl
four miles. was polishing off the distance
in good shape and so was satisfied. Finally
Clifton avenue came 10 nm abrupt and uii
timely end, and the street that branched OF
was called Lafayette avenue, think Il
went at right angles to Clifton and wa
equally beautiful. After a tiresome trudge
came to a gang Of men fixing the road