Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-09-08
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Of Gazette ana journal

LONDON, Aug. 22.-There are between
4 5000 and GO, 600 costermongers in the CITY
OF London. Their vocation is the same as
that of the street hawkers of American
cities; but those who have made the most
Careful study of the latter. can form no
proper idea of the characteristics of the
former without personal acquaintance.
The great distinguishing difference be-
tween American hawkers and London
cOstermongers, out of which the interest
ing peculiarities of the latter have grown,
Is the extreme antiquity of costermongers
as distinct class or race. Indeed they
may with propriety be considered as a race.
and am not SO sure but that i'll more
thorough acquaintance with them than
have gained, it would be found that they
possess the ancient Roman or gypsy strain
of blood. | have certainly noticed in them
many race characteristics of the gypsies:
and their origin, historically considered
almost exactly corresponds with the period
In which gypsies were first noticed in Eng
land.
The earliest record of London cosier-
mongers' cries is said to be in i.ydgate's
poem of London Lyckpeny, in the time
OF Henry ", about AIS years ago. shake
speare refers contemptuously to these
coster.monger times" Ben Jonson makes
his Morose swoon if he hears coster
monger's cry, and DR.. johnson gives the
mating in the street sale Of apples or cos
ltards round and bulky like the head.
so far as can he traced in history and
literature these folk were precisely the
same III mode of life, vocationsan char.
acteristics hundreds Of years ago, as at the
present time. Like the fishermen Of New
Haven and Galway, and still like the
gypsies, they have scarcely ever been
known to intermarry with other classes
The result is that the costermongers Of the
Londnn of today forn almost little
Taabn Of ineiT oan R,-er rhaHain4 a Will.
tines vet ~hsnselrs. III ~hlr,. ptis Vii,
tlqtNty: with pHfRF 3fiiit Ul ',lu.d. ~
Hts-kinG, laa rhst nf bait u ma fn.ii>h
monthly; and with anriett TEst6!uS ans
traditions fent'intA DGsI"lf,nis iAws ~
guidance 90 tlsrGistiqe- ~ % 4 tuOl.
marked degree than Il true vi amy eduA!
number OF people in any GUrnrf Of EurOpn
IL all this were not true Of the London
costermonger he would still be found a
picturesque object by he casual Observer.
IN the first place his dress is picturesque.
on VIII not lind at Catatlia MesSjuu or
Palermo, in Sicily more odd or colorful
!, groupings than these crowds Of rpstcrs nj
the markets or at their evening and hpli-
day resorts. Indeed there is Il dash If thc
gypsy in the dress of these folk that con.
stantly recalls the Romany people.
At his daily labors the cOster will have
"a hls iledu u Sinai clDln cap well 10 one
side, with the visor either pointed to tie
sky or saving one side of his neck. lleis
never without his black or hashiIy colorcd
silk "kingsman, or heavy. loosely gathered
ntckerchief, always tied in A sailors knot
and the ends tucked III the folds Of his CAV
WOODEN shirt; the whole exposing a fine,
well corded and often hairy neck and
chest. His waistcoat is long like Jockeys.
with capaClous pockets and huge tabs, and
ALWAYS oil cuTuurnV ~ Npl1rItapt,
trousers are half Mexican IN cut, Of cordu.
roy or coarse ducking and their Wide hot
toms Hap over the best shoes worn by any
lowly men in London. Added 10 this are
Bile. $500 - 800 =
In the matter of buttons their "bcst
toys for Sundays and holidays are trulv
startling. Whether Of metal or pearl.
they are from half inch 10 an inch IN
diameter, and are set as thGlilv as thcy
can be placed around the cap banu and
VISOR edge, down the edge Of the wAiStcoat
from throat TO point above every p6ckpt
and along the edges Of all iapels. upon Inc
sleeves nearly from wrists to elbow. and
along the wide plush side stripes of Ito
trousers, from just below the knees tu the
very edge of the trousers leg, 50 that tho
ssSt button clicks and patterS against the
pavement and the shoe,
The coster women are none the less
striking IN Their garb and appearance.
Lake The mon they arc all we'll Shod. and
wear snort coarse serge pcttiUOatS showing
their ankles and shapely feet. These l,ctti-
coats are as ample as q Cladtlagh ish. wifc's.
, Their waists are always low A. or arc left
+. open in the neck, and usually the latter
as with the men, is adorned with n tlash,.
SILK lleckeChnt while small wooden
PLAID or SILK shawl covers the 81. lulders its
ends crossed nnnn the breast where il Is
ii lwnVa in9tPflnI Ntffl "a
dimensions
But the hair and the hcadgcar are most
distinctive. From these alone a costcr
girl is anywhere recognizable. The hat Is
OF straw or felt, and ALWAYS as large ~ 4
coster's cartwherl. II rrotrudes alarm
1hsiy IN 'front.', and above this canopy
waves forest Of ostrich uunlcs to1irr
girls belong to clubs for Inc purchase If
these priced feathers, and there il no Cr,li.
nary sacrifice they will not make 10 possess
the largest plumeS that can be bought
The hair is bestowed behind in a lnr,,o
BRAID. part" extends from this over
each far, and q heavy, straight ta6 ms
AGAINST either chcck. Above the forehead
the half falls straight almost 10 The brows
but IS then fri12led ana curlea mil II
stands upward and outward like mon
stfolS matted chcaaiN lie fY-c II
cosier proudly remarked to me. "Our
domains tSirls. swccthearts, women as a
etNie 10 is All tiIuir own,
ne costermongrr's outfit comprises
elthef Aahubarrow, sprlnr cart Oh two
wheels on which hu will ioa[i from No "
i,N1VQ pounds Of fruit or vegetables ,tIl
with the help Of bow or Ills "dnn,ihj
push the same dozen miles ii a ANU b.
donkey and cart, possessed hv the nlorc
Ncll-to-uu' have seen the latter loaded
with from ,2Out 10 l,5H pounds weight nj
1oYent Garden market, The women X ben
DlWhlng alone tl,,,,, d 4
With donkey carts or barTpNs, but 0ftenrr
with Swallows, or shallow bDSkate
winch with their heavy contents Are oar.
ried on their heads.
curious sort Of business has always
pceli IN vogue owing To the impruvidtiIuc
~ me coslerihnngGrs as u class. This is
the hlTlhS out TO them Of baskets harroys
and carts out Of the jn.tp1ar tI,Umras.
terInongcr population OF London tuAy
lOUuu are actually engaged iii daily lIDwE-
ing, the remainder being old rglk Dr rhil-
dren unable to work save at old ttu,r.
Fully one half Of the daily workers Owu
aheir own swallows, barTaWs and carts
Inc other half hire thsn at rQin0usly
usurious rAtes. The donkey ami rart Az
seldom hired nearly all Gf these outfits
Deing oWnen by the costerS. But tho hand.
carts or barrows are usually hired AZ three
pence per day or one shilling for She wceE,
lnr barron originally cosIlng less than
~. More than 100000 or sltN GUO. is Az
nually paid ia barrow and ''shalloJvW lire
by the London cnstcr.
Any one desiring a superficial GE.crr,.
ton Of thIs class can lind anitle studies Of
costers at the chief London marKrta.
Baiiy de00n come to Convent Gard,n ,nur.
Eet; aSont 900 secure fish al l{ll!n4syntc.
fully 1000 are ~ SpitIliie!G berhtps IND
each will be found at Borough sn7 l.aadpn-
hail; and iuiiy 800 arc uistfalitr,. among
M zen r's ~