Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-01-16

in rags he swaggers about with the airs OF
aidude and the hauteur of one of Gotham s
famous -four hundred.
Having secured a chair and tilted it back
against the wall at the desired angle. he
| produces n pipe, generally a corn-cob one,
as a reminder OF the country. and having
| loaded it," the ammunition being often a
| discarded cigar stub. OF which he provided
himself with a supply during the day. adds
avolume Of sitting smoke TO the already
foul atmosphere of the place..
Next. he ordinarily brings forth soiled
and crumpled newspaper and proceeds to
entertain and enlighten himself with the
news of the day. 1t may appear strange,
tut not only cin most tramps read, but
many OF them are men OF considerable edu-
cation, whom hard fortune and disappolnt-
ment in business or love has driven to
urlnk. from which the transition to u tramp
frequently swift ana easy one.
Here, too, are carried on many discussions
Dl whlch the newspapers make no report,
ihough they are often filed with less enter
.alnlng matter. Politics is the staple sub
lect. As between the two leading parties
the honors are about even; the socialists
are good third. while, to the credit of the
party be 1t said. the Prohibitionists are
rarely represented. Protection" free
trade. grinding monopolies." the merits
OF candidates. and the acts and policy OF
the Government. are discussed without
reserve. and often as upderstandingly as
In the political club-houses above ground
Religion is an other fruitful theme. and all
shades of opinions, from atheism to
orthodoxy, are expressed,
Some men actually earn money in these
ten-cent lodging houses. One gray haired,
long bearded old tramp Is known in most
Western cities all of which he visits ut
times AS "Bumpy Gump" Bumpy is a
phrenologlst. and when the office" Is most
crowded often appears with huge chart
and human skull He hangs the one on
the wall and poising the other in his hand
calls Tor subjects. His charges vary with
the financial condition of the party, from a
penny to u dime, the latter being high
water mark. Tramps. like other people.
| love amusements, and are curious as to the
| character OF their associates, and "Bumpy
| Gump" often makes as much as dollar in
single evening. though he may have to
buy check" at two or three different
| lodging ouses to accomplish it.
By midnight most OF the guests are Sleep
Ing as soundly as the vermin and sitting
air will permit The sanitary polce often
visit these places and compel them to adopt
some form of ventilation. Fresh air. how
ever, means loss of heat which in turn
| represents useless consumption of coal,
and the openings are generally closed upon
the departure of the officers.
The sleeping accommodations consist OF
hunks ranged against the walls from the
floor to the ceiling. Some are supplied
with rude apology Tor II mattress, but for
the most part they consist of the bare
boards. with an elevated portion for the
nead much after the fashion OF the steer
age OF Il great ocean steamship.
Included with lodging, some "snoozing
places as they are sometimes called. give.
Oy way of breakfast. u "duffer" OF bread
and bowl of decoction dignifed by the
name OF coffee, but manufactured from
lurnt rye and the grounds procured Fl ON
hotels and restaurants.
The absolute equality OF men has never
oeen any place long maintained. and even
among tramps AMI buns there are grades
of society. Not long since the writer wit
aessed q street meeting between two
iramps which illustrates the point.
Hello. Jem!" said one, as he shifted a
oundle from one arm to the other and u
nuge guid of tobacco across his moth
II, llo, yourself!" responded the other.
How're you done to-day?"
Pretty good. | got three square meals
-cold meat. Worcester shiIe sauce an pie
dinner-tw two shirts. vest. and twenty cents
spot cash. That amt dom so bad hey?"
Bad bahl Its flendish. bad enough to
Bettle the personal devil controversy"
What are you givin me2"
Nothing, and l wish no one else would.
,, You're lacking in self-respectl"
Did YOU do better?"
did do better? II 1 didn't I'd step on
and oeliterate myself Two shirts Bah
Three meals. OF the ieavlngs OF some aris-
toeratl Ugh! Twenty centsl Phool"
Nudb ulu Ou Rlbg
What did I get? 1 was offered thre,
shirts and pair of pants. Told the we'll
meaning but misguided woman that
wasn't an old clothes man, and recommend
ed her to sell them TO Jew. l take NJ
meals or shirts or trash OF any kind. Ii
takes money to do business with me. tool
in dollar and forty cents to- dav. When
want meals / walk into restaurant an
order EN-. When, want shirts l go I,
Cheap Johns up the street an l. buy EN-
| SlirtSf old NpfunlGt Git pf
sight! You're Disgrace, n burning dis
grace to the profession. you are"
- In extreme cold weather. when the mer-
curry reaches "bulbwards." the tramps
sometimes suffer Then it is hard to Sc.
cure the price of n lodging. and many are
driven to extremitie5. AT such times, how.
ever. the police stations are thrown open
| and great numbers accommodated and
kept from freezing. TIE surplus cells are
| filled and as many more are lodged upon
the broad fagstones which cover them. A
hundred and more are often slowed away
in single police station. In the morning
they are given II dutfer and bowl OF coffee
| and sent adrilt.
Most tramps are made so by drink and
| that monster continues to rule them with
an iron hand. Most of the money begged
or stolen by them finds its way to the cheap
saloons and barrel houses" Many low
resorts are supported by money begged
under the pretense that the supplicant Il
starving. or is without the means of pro-
curing a Place to sleep. These low saloons
are the principal loaiing places of tramps
during the day, The Investment of Ave
cents in drink entities them to warm
themselves at the fire and lounge about for
a time. Soon, however. they are driven
out again, to procure the price of anothei
drink, with the accompanying freedom oi
the saloon"
During long and cold winter numbers
become sick and find their way to the hos
pital. and later to the potter's field. Such
as survive do not needlessly prolong theii
irksome city life. but depart early enough
- - Ee&