The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-10
SIGNSON The GATE POST
Methods Tramps Use to Communi-
cate With Each Other.
THE OLDEST TRAMP'S TALE
A Mystic. Language Which Tells Each
knight Of the Road What to Expect
Where Food is sure and Where They


ception he will get inside. He examines
the gate posts attentively, and generally
finds some sign upon them which tells
him what sort OF people live there.
These signs are the letters OF a univer-
sal language know to every tramp In the
country.
There is a certain Freemasonry among
tramps which has unwritten but thor
oughly understood rules. These rules are
those of " liberty, equality and fratern-
ity F" - particularly fraternity. Every
tramp will do all he can to assist his fell
low, whether he knows him or not.
One OF the duties Of the tramp Is to
leave behind him wherever he goes signs
by which the tramps who come after him
can profit by the results of his experience.
These signs may be found on the gates or
fences of almost all houses in the coun-
try, They have been noticed, doubtless,
by most farmers and dwellers in the out
skirts Of cities. But it Is not likely that
their hidden meaning has been discov-
cred by more than few.
The tramp is as jealous Of his secrets as
is the Free Mason. II Is hard to get a
tramp to talk about the secrets of his
craft. IL he does talk he generally lies
He has no hesitation about doing that.
He believes that ii is his duty to conceal
the secrets by which the great brother
hood to which he belongs tempers the
wind to the shorn lamb"
"Dolph Smith is probably the oldest
tramp in the country, says the New York
Journal. Dolph prides himself on never
having done a stroke OF work in his life.
Every tramp of any experience-that Is,
every professional tramp, except those
who are new at the business-knows him
and respects him in a sort OF way.
He is a queer character. In appearance
there Is nothing very remarkable about
him. His hair and mustache are nearly
snow white-they would be quite SO were
it not for dye Of dirt that makes them
a smoky yellow. His beard is never more
than half an inch long, and rarely much
shorter. He does not shave, but singes
the stubble as it sprouts from his cheeks,
chin and throat. Dolph Smith got
awfully drunk one afternoon. 1t was up
near Tarrytown. He was on his way
South for the winter, and did not want
TO come to New York, as he knew full
well what his reception would be.
A Journal man met him on the road
and accompanied him for a few miles.
By means OF treating Dolph at every
roadhouse and saloon the veteran of the
road was made confidential. He got
royalty drunk. This loosened his tongue,
and when the conversation was turned to
the tramps' sign-language he explained it
freely.
~ 60 along the. road and see a picture
Of a church on a gate post. i know that
means good people live here That lit
tie sign tells me that will get well treated
in that house."
The old man took the reporters stick
and drew a rough outline Of a church in
the dust of the road.
"We mostly draws with chalk, but
little mud does just as well when the
fence or gate is white" he continued.
"a sign like this" and Dolph drew
what he called ga bad dog" in the dust,
"means that fierce dog is kept on'the
premises, and that the owner does not
mind turning him loose at a tramp. A
picture like this tells me that dog is
kept, but that he is disposed to be
friendly"
The old fellow drew another dog, diff
fering but slightly from the former in
general appearance, but its tail had an
upward curl, while the other curled om-
inously downward.
"Yes, it's all in the TAIL" said the vet
eran tramp. "Good dogs carries their
tails in the air, bad ones hangs 'em dowr
low. Every tramp in the world knows
the d difference and steers clear of the
house with the bad dog"
Dolph was asked, as he paused long
enough in his talk 10 take a pull at the
flask, what were the most encouraging
signs in the tramp's sign dictionary.
:" Sit downs and widders," he replied
decisively. "This is a sit-down," and he
drew a chair and table, with some things
upon it, that he said TO the experienced
eye Of the tramp meant lots of good cheer
"If you see that sign on a gate you can
be dead sure of a square meal with chair
TO sit down on. They isn't many. ]
could tell you every sit down from here
TO Philadelphia or to Boston. There's
not twelve all the way.
"But widders is meat!" he sighed.
"Most widders is open hearted to us
gents. This means that widder lives
here and you can ask her for money" he
added as he drew the end OF a house with
a smoking chimney and big dollar
mark on the wall. THAT is one of the
welcomest sights that ever greets the eye
of weary man."
After pause ana a long pun at the
flask the weary one drew two circles in
the dust.
"That means that an officer lives there
and you'd best give the house a wide
berth. 1t is put on the door or fence OF
all constables, game wardens, justices and
sich. They has no liking for US, and we
mas none for them.
He then explained that a single o
meant "No use asking for anything here,
as you will get nothing" He added that
il was the commonest OF all the signs,
and the one most frequently to be seen,
especially near cities.
The old man traced the figure OF man
with a gun and a dog at his feet.
"Tbat is n bad sign. IL means 'clear
out, and tells its own story. The man
has bad dog, and will shoot tramps on