The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-01
COMIC PAPER TRAMP
GENIUS WHICH THE FUNNY MAN is
TAKING LIBERTIES WITH.
Uncoufb breezy Whiskerses Have De-
yeIOped in Aesthetic Weary Wat
Ixinses With Human Nature.
New York Recorder.


The tramp of the comic papers is a dis
tinct creation, and not a mere slavish copy
from nature. There are tramps in the
world around US, of course-we have all
known and met them-but the tramp Of
comic imagination is rarely like the dirty
and unpleasant reality. His clothes may
be threadbare, but he carries them with
lofty dignity; he has a magnificent COM
mand of language, and delivers rounded
periods in a rotund voice; he has a
quick sense of humor, and occasionally
displays a nice little vein of irony; his
tricks and stratagems, which in less
allied parsonage might be looked upon as
petty swindling, seem rather in his case
to result from lordly love of fun. After
all, the American woman was not so far
wrong when the English traveller lament
ed the absence Of an aristocratic class in
this country.
"And what is an aristocratic CLASP"
asked the American, plain country body
unused to big words
."Why-er-hum. An aristocratic class,
don't you know. is class that travels
around and doesn't have to work for a
living"
'Ah, yes,"-with a sudden CLEAN of In
telligence-''we have them here. but we
call them tramos"
And indeed, the tramp-especialIy the
tramp of the funny mans imagnation-ls
the lordlest loafer of whom this country
can boast. Like many other famous char
acters OF fiction the tramp was not a sud-
den inspiration, but a gradual growth A
few years ago this is the way he and
his kind used to talk in the comic papers:
Breezy Whiskers-Hello Burlap, what'd
yer get?
Burlap Pete-A chicken an all the ffxin's
Breezy Whiskers-Phew! Did YER get it
fer nothin'?
Burlap Pete-Naw; 1 had ter ask for IL
NOW compare Breezy Whiskers and Bur-
zap Fete Sthe very names evidence rudi-
mentary form of witt with the magnificent
type which has dethroned him in the comic
papers OF to-day-with the gentleman for
instance, who recently knocked at the door
or one OF the finest residences in Yonkers
what do you want?' asked the lady of
please. mum. give me a dime to buv a
glass OF bread-'scuse me. mean loaf of
Il haven't got any money"
LECTURING THE HOUSE WIFE.
Haven't got any money Then. madame
L would suggest that you move into a
cheaper house; you are evidently living
beyond your means. Economy is wealth.
Econornize in the matter of clothes and
| house rent. Cut your expenses, and then
| perhaps, some day you will have dime to
spare--a dime, madame, that may be the
means of preventing hungry and thirsty
fellow-mortal from committing suicide: or
II may be. quarter-a coin of the value
or % cents-that will uDholSter the dark
| clouds of the horizon Of his despairing soul
with a silver-plated lining, and fill his
stomach with imported beer Good day.
| fair lady"
| This parsonage has nice perception of
I what is good form. He has been known to
| cary morning by a well-meanng lady.
what! before SHUTDOWN? No. madame; 1
appreciate the kindly motive which has
prompted you TO offer me this small token,
| but-a dress coat before sundown, Has IL
indeed come to this?' and gathering the
| STROBE maiesticaly away and was soon
lost 10 view. -'Ifl1,s, 80
| In the same way he handed back a spoon
given him with a plate of hard ice cream.
| oh, don't suspect you of wanting to
steal the spoon" says the lady.
Il don't for a moment suppose YOU do my
| dear madam" is his answer "but it is not
| correct form to eat hard desserts with a
| spoon. / am from Boston, and should pre-
| Again he stops at the gate of naughty.
| proud aristocrat and asks for a morsei of
| food TO help him on his journey.
You're too late" says the aristocrat:
our dinner was over an hour ago."
| Il am very hungry. SIR says the timer
| Cant help it," returns the aristocrat;
| yet. stay Go next door; it is just their
1
The itinerant draws himself up proudly.
. What: there? Never?'
81 was once insulted there" .e
| 'Hcw?" .i.
| HUNGRY HIGGINS INSULTED.
| why, you see they gave me very fair
| sort of dinner of five courses but they had
| the impudence to serve me my after-dinner
coffee in large cup, and with milk in it."
| And as he expects good breeding in others
his own manners are always suave and
| polished, noticeaby so when he is request
! ing favor.
"Will you allow me to look at your paper
for moment, sir?" he politely inquiries of
| gentleman in City Hall Park IT am
| anxious to ascertain the weather proba-
| bilities."
You are interested in the weather. then?'
| replies the oeher, handing over the paper.
Yes, sir. 1 am going to lie down and
| take nap If the elements are in my favor
He knows the value of fattery, especially
this knowledge to wheedle a dinner out of
the most reluctant. Thus ne sneaks up to
| the kitchen window, and, taking off his
remnant of a hat, says to Matilda SNOWFALL,
who is blacker than the ace of spades:
s; nair Iady, cant you give poor but re
ach? Have you no pie, for instance?'
Matilda has both compassion and pie, and
| cutting one of the latter in halves, gives
one of them to the polite visitor, remark
ing that he was gentleman. even if he
| was white.
Thanks he responds. MAY you retain
your present beauty for thousand years"
| Oats twice too much,'' says Matilda,
| blushing.
well, if it's twice too much, fair lady,
give me the other half of the pie to make
us even.
In one thing. however, the tramp of the
| present resembles the tramp of the past,
and that is in his aversion to work. The
| tramp is. has been, and always will be
| looking out for some method of earning
a living without soiling his hands by
| plebeian labor.
| Madam" he replies to a who
| suggests that a great, big, strong fellow
| ought TO be ashamed to beg. 80 | am
ashamed, but what am L TO do? 1 must
| either beg or work!'
ALWAYS A PROFESSIONAL.
Often he pleads that he is unable to get
| work at his regular trade. And when asked
what that trade is he always has an answer
ready. 1t is winding up eight-day clock,
picking flowers off the century plants, or Tin
nine years out of ten assisting in the com
pilation of the census. In the midst of
summer the profession of his choice is
shovelng
1t was one Of the latter laborers who
pulled the bell at a Philadelphia house in a
business-like way, and inquired of the lady:
Are you a Christian
''Ye-es'' lin surprise)
And do you believe that honest, earnest
endeavor should be rewarded"
''Ye-eS''