The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-29
AN ENGLISH CASUAL.
WHERE TRAMPS GET FOOD AND
LODGING FOR WORK.

Visit to a "Spike"-NIecting With u
Great Friend of Mark Twain.
Josiah Flynt, who has given interest
ing studies on tramp life in Germany
and i'll this country has extended his
Investigations to England. He writes Il
paper entitled, "rwo Tramps In Eng
land" i'll Century. He and his COM
panion, German student, completed II
tour through the provinces with an ex-
perience i'll "casual'' ut Noting Hill,
London. Mr. Flynt writes:
We appeared at the door of the ward
about half past Z III the evening. 4 lit
tie window was raised, and l stepped
forward to state my business. Uncon-
sciously leaned against the sill of tho
window, which offended the inspector
i'll charge considerably.
WHATS your name?" he thundered
Still leaning on the sill, gave him my
namc honestly enough. He then remark
ed to some person inside that we were
not accustomed to such places evident
ly, and called ont, "Stand back, will
yCu!' Back Istood. He cried out again,
Take off your hat" My hat came of
instanter. Still again: ''You come in
here as If you was Il meeleeonary You're
not. You re casual" was rs meek
as could we'll be. Ryborg was itching to
grab the inspector with his long arms.
The next question was as to where we
had slept the night before.
Straw stack, replied.
Mono of your impudence! You slept
out, Why don't you say SO? Fave you
got any money!"
" n hap emmy, sir.
Gland it in. In it went. Then
had to tell my trade, which was that of
a sailor, and naturally the next question
was as to where L was bound.
ITO Ameriky, sir, if can ever get
there
You re goin to tramp it, aren't you?"
eyes, sir; that's my intention" But
for the life Of me could not sec how 1
was to reach America that way. was
so frightened that I would have told
him anything he wanted.
When he was through with us, n kind
hearted attendant took us III hand, gave
us some Cruel and bread, n bath, clean
night shirts, and then cell apiece, in
which we slept very we'll.
As there were only four inmates that
morning we were needed for the clean
ing up, and so escaped stone breaking,
which dreaded exceedingly, and were
| put ut various light occupations-.or
rather l was. Ryborg was the victim of
his strength. Our breakfast consisted of
| the same dish us our supper of tho night
before. l was soon busy as general fire
man, scrubbcr, knife cleaner, coal car
rier, dish washer and helper of my sis
ter sufferer, Mrs. Murphy, as she wash
| ed her task of towels and shirts At
noon we had pea soup and bread I en-
| joyed it, but Ryborg did not. The poor
fellow was feeling badly. He had had
to scrub nearly 20 cells, and the bend
ing over incident to such n feat had
nearly broken his back. At dinner he
said plaintively, "Flynt, want to go
| home. $50 do l." replied "but 1
fancy were wanted here till tomorrow
morning. This proved to be the case
but he felt better in the afternoon and
| got through comfortably, wheeling near
| ~ Il ton OF stone from some of the cells
to the general pile. He. earned his
| keep, if ever any poor prisoner did.
| | fear l was moro shiftless. for about
the middle of the afternoon the attend
| ant who was with me ut the furnace
said: lyon might as we'll rest Just
keep your eye on the fires, that's all 4"
1t was kind of him, and as l had at
least earned my pea soup and Cruel [
took his advice. He was kinder to me-
l think, because gave him corncob
| pipe which he had had to take away
from mo the night before. During tho
| day he had asked me several questions
| abont it, and said, Its q very decent
sort of pipc-coolinlike, you know"
Doesn't Mark Twain always smoke
ono O. them pipcs:" said he
"Blcst if know" said I, "but can
we'll think it. -
''I'm a great friend of Mark Twain, :"
he pursued, IAN I'm a-thinliin O. gettin
one o them pipes. jest out of respect for
him.
Well" said I, permit me i'll the
name OF your respect to present you
with my pipe. Besides you We got it any
how. " He thanked mo'profusely, and
promised TO keep it forever. Later in the
day he reported it to be just as [ had
said, 'sort o coolin like" And he was
good friend to mo al the rest of my
stay i'll the Noting Hill station.
On Wednesday morning we were turn
ed loose with our two HAPPENINGS. We
We're both so happy that we decided to
get off the road that very day.
We had been tramps for thrco weeks,
and had walked most OF this time fully
10 miles a. day. So we looked up my
friend at the Temple, and III Il few hours
were respectable again. That same day
took my tramp clothes ont TO the casual
ward and prCsentcd thcm to my friend