The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-30
TRAMP BoYs or THE COUNTRY.
They Are Called "Prushuns" and Are
the slaves of Older Tramps.

They Are Called 'Prushuns" and Are
the Slaves of Older Tramps.
Josiah Flynt in New York Independent.
There are about 1900 boys in the United
States who live, from one end OF the year
TO the other, exclusively in tramp life.
1t is impossible to take an exact census
of all-they are too migratory-but / base
my estimate on over ten years acquaint-
ance with American tramp life, and on
travels with tramps, which have taken
me into thirty states. In winter there
are easily 500 tramp boys in New York
city alone. OF course, there are more
than this number who have to pick up
their living in more or less tramp fash
ion, but l refer to the lads who actually
belong to the tramp fraternity and are
part and parcel of Its manifestations.
They are called "kids" and "prushuns"
In the hobo's vernacuar, and when they
take tramp names always have 10 add
the sufiix kid TO the name of the town
from which they claim to have come, and
by which they are distinguished, but they
are known to the general public merely as
truants and "incorrigibles." No one ac-
quainted with the tramp world however
would mistake them for anything but
WHAT thNy AlN. 0tyllHu tiONilGS anu a pdln
could not change their stumbling gait
rounded shoulders. harsh voices and ex-
aggerated tough" manner. Even upon
the youngest the life has had its effect
and tramp could easily single them
out in a miscellaneous collection of boys
There average age is about IA years, but
there are some nearly Is and others not
yet 10.
They are in tramp life, to use a homely
n CGn ~
them in his business" The tramp. as A
class, or the hoboes (hautes- beaux) as l
prefer to call them, came upon the scene
not long after the civil war, and many
OF them soon discovered that IL was much
easier Tor boy to excite sympathy than
Tor a man, and they began to entice
youngsters into the life. 1t was imma-
terial to them where they found the bows
or VINO were their parents, so long as
they were quick intelligent and willing
THOSE are the necessary qualifications for
a successful 'prushun" and although
there are some boys much more willing
ana active than others, the great majority
OF them are bright and attractive. Rich
and poor alike contribute 10 their class
A millionaire's son, if a hobo can catch
MN near a railway watering tank. and
iascmate MIN with interesting stories. Is
us Haoie TO conscription as the young
thlhg necessary Is that the lad should
nave romantic temperament. If he has
gone through course Of dime no,,els,,
before the hobo meets him, it makes il
all the easier for the latter to fire his i'm
as'hauoh with accounts of wild Western
me- out there are youngsters unable
TO read that he has Influenced
IN New York city it is the bov of the
sums tnat the hobo is most likely to
IN hn ,st.
OF ms time in the congested districts. thev
are the best places for him TO find charity
as wen as TO hide his Vagabondaee on5
ne naturally sees a great deal of the local
boys III he is in search of one TO tolSe
away with him on his travels he nrov.le
ABOUT the streets, acquainting himself with
the boys play grounds and gathering
| places. Before long he is sure to find j
collection of lads which he thinks he can
influence ana then he tries to get the boy
| who seems to him the most PROMISING.
Watch him at his preliminary work. IL
IS seated on an ash barrel crowd ol
samins gazing at him with admiring ewes
| When he tells his stories, each one thinks
| that he is being talked to Just as much as
| the rest, and yet, somehow little bv little
| there is favorite who is getting more enf
more of his share of the winks and smiles
soon the most exciting parts of The stories
| arc Siduua4iy ueNoteu 10 MIN alone but
| i'm such an artful way that ne himself
| fails to notice 1t at first II is not long
| however, before he feels his importance
He begins TO wink, too, but just as slylN
as his charmer, and his little mouth curl.
into a return smile when the others are
not looking. I'm his favorite, l am" ht
thinks. Hell take me with him, he will
| and show me things"
He is what the hobo calls "petrned'
/ which means, as much as anything else
hypnouzed. The stories that he has hear
amount to very little in themselves. but
the way they are told, the happy-go- lucky
manner the subtle partially the winning
voice, and the sensitiveness Of che boy,
nature to things of wonder, all combine u
turn his head Then his own rarent,
cannot control him as can this slouchins
wizard.
In the country the favorte gathering
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