Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-12
TRAMPS BOUND NORTH
Annual Migration to Cline
Of Cool Breezes.
ADVANCE GUARD HERE
THE MAJORITY AvERsE TO MEET
ING LOCAL POLICE.
Queer Characters In the Hobo Fratern-
ity-Learned Physician on the
Road-Women, Also.

The April tide of tramps has turned north
ward. just before the snow begins to fly
these human birds of passage flock to the
southern states. where the winter breezes
are mild and the atmosphere moderate. At
the close of windy, stormy March they turn
their faces north again and visit those
places where graft" is easy and de booze"
is plentiful.
Just now the advance guard OF the great
army of "hobos' and mixers are passing
through Washington and its suburban
places The vigilance of the Washington
police has become proverbial among the
Weary Willie fraternity, and many Of
them pass around the city in preference to
passing through it and taking chances Of
being hauled before the Police Court and
given stiff sentence at "de free work.
shop" as the District workhouse is desig-
mated by them. The following conversation
heard between two knights of the turnpike
on the outskirts of Langdon, D. c., Illus
trates their dread of the local police:
Il hears de Washington bulls has pinched
one-eyed Charley an dat whskers' sent
him down for ninety" Judge kimball is
referred to by the tramps as ''whiskers.
Yes replied the second hobo, IAN 1t
serves him good an right. Dat one-peeper
guy will never learn any wiseness. Why,
when we had dat roundup at Atlanta in
Febry we agreed to skip aroun Uncle
Sans town Washington an get togedder
at Vineburg Gaurel, Md an start de ex-
cursion for Phillie from dere.
He ought to know by dis time dat de
Washington bulls is hungry fer our people
an would rather snag one of US dan to
ketch burglar red-handed. 1t don't make
no difference whether you is by de yegg or
not; dey wants yer an dey wants yer bad
to do gratis work on de streets, an dat Is so
much saved by Congress, seer"
The Camphres Alight.
Over the boundary line in Maryland these
chilly April nights the campfires Of the
advance guard burn brightly along the
turnpikes and in dell and hollow, where
there is little danger of intrusion by the
county law officers. Around one of these
fires was a group of five frowsy, weather.
beaten hobos cooking their evening meal
Their utensils consisted Of several tomato
cans and a badly battered coffee pot.
us dat all de coffee We could raise, Mixer
queried one.
YES" replied a short, swarthy son Of
Erin, "an' had to wear me wind away to
git dat. Put an old soldier (cigar stump in
de pot an dat will make de stuff strong
enuff.''
A slender, boyish looking tramp who was
addressed by the others as SISTER was
preparing for the meal three tomato cans
filled with villainous looking mixture.
which they designated as "slum" This con-
sisted of bits of meat which the tramps
had begged from neighboring houses during
the day potatoes and other things which
had been procured in a like manner or by
theft.
Talk bout Delmonico,' said the boy, Il
got something here dat will make yer head
swim and when yer taste it yer will think
of yer happy, happy home"
.If we can only knock a hopper (kill a
chicken) tomorrow" said tall hobo with
disreputable looking whiskers, II will show
you how to beat Dolly (Delmonico) to a
swift finish You fellers git de trimmin' g
an I'll git de hopper. an I'll make four
pans (tomato cans) of de best sllly-Willy
yer ever tasted.
Being asked where they were bound for
the boy cook replied:
Everywhere in general an nowhere In
particular but we expects to reach frisco
by July stoppin' on root at SLouis to take
in de big show"
One of the tramps stated that the party
originally consisted of six men, but one OF
was killed in South Carolina by falling
under the wheels of train while trying to
beard a side-door Pullman.
Gear of the Pike.
Among the oldest characters in the great
migratory fraternity of tramps is a queer
little Irishman, whose name is said to be
! Matthew McDermott, but who is known
among his fellows as "the car of the turn
pike" McDermott spends much Of his time
in wayside shanty beyond Laurel, where
he greets many of the tramps who are be-
ginning to flock from the south to the north
in advance of the warm weather 1.-The
car has an interesting history and is a
man of unique appearance. He wears a
/ fringe of Galway whiskers under his chin
and has only one eye. Through this he
sQunts with comical expression. In con-
tradistinction to the average Irishman he
never smiles, but appears to take the world
very seriously His movements are slow
mechanical and labored and he walks with
the railroads.&c. step Of the tramp. He is
regarded as the sage of the fraternity, and
has given advice, good and bad. to his sub
jects from Maine to California. On a re-
cent sunny day he was heard to remark:
"BegOrra, whin l hear the burruds a.
singin' ond sees the sun a-blazin' in the
hivins me bones git leary ond 1 wants to
be on the move
When asked what fascination he found in
the life Of a tramp, he replied:
"Begob, sir, kim to Ameriky on a tramp
stameboat; tramped the streets of New
Yorruk six weeks widout gittin' wurruk,
an thin jined Gineral Coxey an his rigi-
| mint of thramps, an faith I've bin a ho-
buck liver since"
Objection has been made by some of the
tramps to the overworked term, Weary
Willies," which has been so generally ap-
piled to them. An unkempt fellow, who
stopped at the house of Mr.. A. r. White,
on the Bladensburg pike, was asked if he
was one of the Weary Willies"
Nav he replied gruff1y, dem words is
back number. De funny newspaper men
has worked EN- ter death. If yer wants
ter call me out of me name den designate
| me as Dusty David Dat is more up ter
date"
Skilled Physician on the Road.
Among the tramps forming the advance
guard which is now passing through this
section is man who is said to be a skilled
physician. 1t is stated that he is highly
educated and gave up a lucrative practice
in Iowa to lead the life OF a nomad He
stated that there was some peculiar and
overpowering fascination connected with
the life of a tramp which he could not ex-
plain. Family troubles caused him to take
to the road and wander-he cared not
| where. Opce tramp without aim or OBJ
ject, he found he could not break away
from the migratory life. 1t is subject he
added, to which sociologists, humanitarians
| and scientists should give the most serious
consideration and study, for the states are
| fairly overrun by tramps and the great
army of idlers is receiving many recruits
| every day.
One noticeable feature of the members
of the advance guard now passing through
| this vicinity is the large number of mere
boys in the ranks of the itinerants-beard-
| less youths with the swagger OF a bucca-
naer tl,a fouI slang of tha SIunnS crnv-