The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-06
THE YAGS AND HoBoEs.
VOCABULARY OF WORDS IN COM
MON USE.
4 Curse TO the Country and a Com
slant Menace to the Growing Gem

- &AHHN W thG anu ~ COA-
slant Menace TO the Growing Gem
GRAFTON.
From the Columbus (O) Dispatch.
Now is the heyday of the tramp. The
warmth Of the sun makes glad the cookies
Of his heart, and he wanders far and
wide. The American tramp is an insti-
tuition that seems to have come to stay.
His numbers fuctuate with the times, but
he is always plentiful.
The commonest tramp is the hobo" He
is the product of shiftlessness, love of
drink or recklessness. He is the least
harmful of all. He always claims to be
looking for work, and often is. He builds
the bitches. lays the pipe lines, makes
the levees and does the most of the la
boring work of great undertakings. The
railroads of this country were built by
the ''hobo;" the great drainage canal near
Chicago has employed tens of thousands
of them. They come and so. Sometimes
work a week, month or six months,
then spend all their earnings in one spree
or debauch and descend to the level of
the common tramp.
There is no more careless, happy-go-
lucky class of men in the world. They
endure hunger and cold, loss of sleep and
sickness and injuries with an equanimity
that is surprising They care only for
the day, and the morrow has no terrors.
TO eat, smoke and chew tobacco and
drink intoXicants in the sum of their e.I-
istence, not taking into account certain
vicious practices which are rampant
among them. Hobos often rise; they are
youths and men who have fallen in the
battle of life and surrendered into the
hands of the enemy. They often regain
their former level and become good citi-
zens. There is a faint survival of the
journeyman idea among mechanics. In
olden days each artisan went out to gain
experience and make his fortune among
strangers. Many young men upon learn
ing trade try the same thing in these
days Those who fail become hobos.
The children of the street, born in pow
erty, reared in misery and with no moral
training, help to fill the ranks of another
class of hobos. This is made up of petty
criminals, unsuccessful wretches, burg
lars and thieves without occupation, cut
throats, drug "hends," and others These
live a life apart from the rest of mankind.
There is little hope for them. Heredity,
environment and natural depravity have
completed their moral ruin. They become
tentiaries, and glory in their crimes. Now
and again one with more ambition than
his fellows, perhaps with more courage
and certainly with more intelligence, be-
comes a skilled crook, daring bank rob-
Der or other notorious law-breaker.
The tramp of the picture papers died
long ago. He was the effect of the war
and did not survive that bloody struggle
more than a score of years. He is known
as Weary Willie" Hungry Hawkins"
"Raggles," ETC., but he does not exist in
real life. He Is usually seen under
haystack or by the side of the road. talk
ing to his companion. His language is
an impossible one that never was spoken
by any tramp and was originated by
writer's who, ignorant of his real lingo"
invented one that they thought fitted the
tongue of their subject.
The average conversation between two
knights of the road is something like this,
according to the illustrated papers:
Sloppy Sam-Wot did youse t'ink O. dat
guy jist passed wild dem bags on him?
Hungry Hawkins--Well, say, Sam;
youse surprises me. OATS a new wom-
an an dey's boomers she has on. OATS
de latest style dat de Prince o. Wales
institooted."
This is exquisitely funny, but not at
all life-like. If a tramp wanted to point
out to a companion such an article of
dress as boomers he would likely say,
Pipe de ragsP'
The language of tramps differs the
country over. The climate, the habits
of the locality the enforcement of the
laws, and many other things alter and
give birth to words and terms which arc
incorporated in tramp language. Here
are few of the words in use among sew
eral classes of tramps, and more particu-
larly among "yags"
Yag-A tramp thief.
Dynamiter-In the west, and especially
in California, man who roams through
the country working at intervals and car
rying blankets to sleep in and a bundle
of clothes.
Stiff-A beggar who pretends to be in
distress. Stiff also means newspaper
or writing paper.
Mush fakir-An umbrella member who
tramps.
Buddy of punk--A boy who consorts
with tramps. Generally is attached to
an older tramp, for whom he begs and
who protects him from the attacks of
other tramps. These boys suffer great
ly, but are terrorized by the older men
and kept in subsection. They are num-
erous.
Bull--A policeman or constable
Sap-A crutch or club welded by po-
| liceman. A source of terror among tramps.
Fly-A detective. A rail fly is a rail-
AOeQ 0CNSCblNCf WIZ 10 especially naIeu
and feared by tramps.
Jocker--A tramp of some years who
carries a punk or buddy. A dangerous
individual
Stop-A police station. Also known as
a coop. dungeon, or jug.
Dump-A penitentiary.
Kink-A crooked man.
Graycat-A tramp who will work occa-
sionally and who is despised therefor by
those who won't.
Maultee-A yag who will work for his
meals.
Ringtail-The same.
Hiher-A yag who frequents the roads
and pixies and eschews railroad travel.
He is often a lover of nature.
Fink-A yag who betrays his fellow
,yags. He often turns up missing" His
life is not worth much If his character
is known.
Fogy-The county poor house or in
Urinary.
The Good People-Sisters in hospitals.
Yags are often injured and are familiar
with charitable institutions.
Lump-Food begged and handed out by
the giver. Also called chuck, poke-out.
bundle, chewin, etc.
Square--A meal where the yag sits down