New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-01
EXPERIENCES OF BOYS as TRAMPS.
They Break cay from the Restraints of and Work cit
coming of Springime.

The tramp has budded out along with the
crocus and the violet. He has returned to the
countryside in company with the other birds Of
passage. Whatever may be his weaknesses, the
tramp finds full forgiveness at the hands Of
Nature. Though call him lazy, shiftless,
worthless, a nuisance and pest; though they
meet his requests with a scowl or 4 curse. or
toss him a bit of charity like a dry bone to
dog, Nature welcomes him with the same smile,
with the same profgson Of flowers and fruits,
with the same baImy skies and gentle breezes,
as every other living being.
But many others than the habitual. ire
trieVabIe irremediable bum" answer the sweet
summons Of spring There are many boys in
this city who are overcome with desire to be-
come tramps at the first scent Of budding leaves
in the parks, and they often forsake homes re-
plete with all the comforts Of civilization TO lead
the life Of the Stone Age. Scattered among the
unfrequented uptown parts Of the city one may
ind at the present time crude huts patched to-
gether out of various findings OF the dumps.
such as tin cans pounded out fiat. bits OF oil
cloth. charred planls. broken bricks and cakes
OF plaster cast aside by the wrecker Of some
burned building, and in their doorways may be
seen boys and young men squatting on soap
boxes, or perchance at full stretch on couch OF
straw.
The nearer these refugees from modern society
can approach the habits Of their primeval an
cestors the greater appears to be their satisfac-
ton Many Of them boast not only that they no
longer need to work, but that they can live
without begging. They tell you that they are
perfectly independent Of the laws which gov
ern the rest Of the world. For food they catch
the birds which hop over the grass before their
huts They construct crude traps by propping
ND fiat stone at an angle by means Of a twig,
and then sprinkling beneath the stone some
crumbs Of bread. In his quest for food the
bird strikes the twig with his leg or an out
stretched wing, and instantly the great, pom
derous roof over his head crashes down and pins
him fast 20 the ground.
For fuel these sons Of rest pick UP stray bits
Of shingIe and Iath which the builders of a near
by apartment house have left behind them; or
II loose wood be scarce, they do not scruple to
tear down a bit Of fence and carry it of under
cover OF night. When in need OF clothing. those
who are too proud 10 beg resort to theft. Why
not? might the philosopher ask Is stealing to
the man or boy who has abandoned human so
ciety for that of nature a crime? The laws
against robbery are only the inventions Of arti-
hoial man. Stealing is the first law Of nature.
by which all animals not subdued by man and
al plant life obtain subsistence.
In names as well as environments these squat
ter soYereigns seek TO break loose from their
past lives. They abandon their old names and
assume new ones which describe some personal
peculiarly. such as the color OF the hair. COM
pleKion, stature or manner OF speech In one
colony, which has encamped on the banks OF the
Hudson. not far from the Great Riverside Drive
Viaduct. there are dozen or more lads. whose
,ames are Red" "Yaller," Brick" ~SquInt a.
Nush." Butts" 'FIatirOn" because his lean