The times., 1899-05-24
TRAMPs IN COUNTRY HOMES.
Delights of the Hobo fraternity
While Winter Reigns.

New York, May 23-There comes from
Lake Hopatcong's shores story of the
way the tramps have lived all winter long
in the summer homes of the city folk.
When Jacob Rupert goes to his cottage
on the south shore he viii find that Wiilim
the Weary has slept in his bedrooms, and
that Rufus the Indolent has dined with his
feet under the antique oak table. The
tramps have spent a pleasant season, and
when they fled with the coming OF the
spring flowers they left behind them many
despoiled dwelling.
All the local constabulary is showed in
when winter rests upon the waters of Lake
Hopatcong. The city man locks and bars
his doors and windows when he goes away
in the fall. and trusts that Providence will
protect his dwelling until he returns. The
tramps moved in last winter and from ap-
pearances their soiourn has been a merry
enc.
1t will be a shock to the returning cot
tager this summer when he finds that the
canned vegetables which had been left
over have been devoured. The pressed
canned beef has been consumed by the
army which makes everlasting bivouac
among the country roads. All the lodges
and camps are sights to behold. The un-
bidden guests of the winter were not con-
tent with fires in the stoves and ranges.
They added to the general warmth by
erecting hearthsto1es in the middle OF the
floors. Such canned goods as were not
entirely satisfactory were hurled about
the premises. Many a tomato can that
will go on pilgrimage this summer was
taken originally from the summer cottage
OF a New Yorker at Lake Hopatcong.
Chairs are splintered and rattan sofas
are in a disorganized state. The tables
bear the marks of heavy hard heels, and
the mating is burned with stray embers
The tramps have not been good house
keepers. They have played havoc with
the abodes which the departed city Wis
itors left furnished or partly furnished for
their convenience. There lurk around
these houses subtle odor of plug to-
bacco and the aroma OF unsavory stews.
Those who made a belated investigation
yesterday found that all the comfortable,
we'll worn shoes of last summer are gone.
and that sundry old clothes which had
been packed away in camphor had disap
peared. There has been a general on
slaught on the trees in the neighborhood
but what could the owners expect, seeing
that they had not provided a sufficient
quantity of coal for the entire winter? 1t
seems that the only way to protect sum-
mer cottages and lodges at Lake Hopat
cong is either to put a spring gun at every
door and window or to leave few cans of
dynamite marked select tomatoes
During the winter the tramps have made
occasional foraging trips around the shores
of the lake. Sometimes they have OBJ
tanned a cold handout from the farmers or
accomplished the death Of stray fowl. They
became a colony unto themselves, all un-
suspected by the natives. All they needed
was few dog carts and plaid clothes to
form an aristocracy unto themselves.
Among the cottages broken into besides
that of Mr. Rupert, of this city, were
those OF J. d. Smith. Elias Van Fleet. T.
E. Honeyman, and Franklin Van Dorm, of
Somerville; William Jones and Alzon
Zokes, of Elizabeth; Robert Pierce Frank
Toman, and George Zeller, of Newark