The Sunday Oregonian., January 21, 1900, Image 13

MATTERS OF SOME IMPORT TO
DWELLERS IN TOWN AND COUNTRY
CURRENT TOPICS OF INTEREST
FOR MEN AND WOMEN READERS
-
VOL. XIX.
TWENTY-FOUR PAGES
PORTLAND, OREGON, SUNDAY HOjRNING, JANUARY 21, 1900.
PAGES 13 TO 24
NO. 3.
i
THE HOU5EFURNI5HER
Gadsby Block, cor. Washington and First Sts.
J .jLHillLJllir.:.. . Tffl
Every one takes pride In a nice, well-furnished dining-room. This Is
the room of the house -which should always be bright, attractive and cheer
ful. "What will help it more than a fine Sideboard or Buffet. Our stock
of these goods is Incomparable. There is no such line of Golden Oak Fur
niture in the city as we display. It is a pleasure to show you the newest
American .productions, and we can say, without fear of contradiction, that
for Sideboards, Buffets, Dining Tables and Chairs In Golden Oak, there Is
nothing to compare -with our line In this city. The prices are reasonable.
CHAMBER FURNITURE
S3 different patterns of Brass andiron Beds From $3.75 up
75 different patterns of Chamber Suits From ?9.75 up
CARPETS
Before the spring rush commences we are prepared "to make special
prices on Carpets. You can save from 10 to 15 per cent on Carpets if pur
chased now. The following special prices are for January and February.
After lstof March the first price will prevail:
Body Brussels, Lowell or BIgelow-. ...... Regular $135 Now $1.25
Best Axminste'r Regular $1.25 Now $1.15.
Velvets, Sanfords or Smiths Regular $L25... Now $1.10
Saxony Axminsters Regular $1.15 Now $1.03
Tapestry Brussels Regular $L10.... Now 85c
Hlgglns' 10-wire Brussels
Smith's 8-wire Brussels
Polesam Tapestry Brussels
Madras Brussels
Ingrains, all-wool ......
Ingrains, Cotton Chain .
Union Ingrains
We are looking for business In the country, and would advise parties con
templating the purchase of Furniture to write for our catalogue. It "will
furnish them with. sometJnterestIngfacts.
fsmae wi ?-&,
WM. GADSBY
Im PorLM
5"1 BW- rggwg sy 'SsVSSX y . J.
$&k 5r MZ s 0
If j VX . - -T I sift. ,rS,
'.I? t.t !:.- J7 iW I That my poor stomach is cast reform: tramp asks another , "flows eating here .' wnen a tramp nrst gets to town, he witr-fv Tfmi,0r,. onh. ilThX ) ,1 R
Regular
Regular
Regular
Regular
Regular
Regular
Regular
90c Now
85c Now
75c Now
65c Now
75c Now
65c Now
50c Now
75c
70c
GOc
50c
65c
55c
40c
iMrarmt -r - ?
vSSESZSSL.
(
Why not reform.' That's easily said,
But I've gone through such wretched treat
ment; Sometimes forgetting1 the taste of bread,.
And scarce remembering what meat meant,
That my poor stomach Is past reform;
And there are times when, mad with thinking,
I'd sell out heaen for something warm
To prop a horrible inward sinking.
The Vagabonds.
HE Tecent action of the
neighboring city of. Se
attle in establishing a
municipal chalngang,
with rock-pile attach
ments, caused an hegira
of hobos, Weary Wil
lies and Perry Patetlcs
from that city. Seat
tle's loss was Portland's
gain. Twenty of that
assemblage of the great
unwashed came into
Portland last Sunday on
one freight train. Ten
of these were sent to
the county jail on charges of vagrancy,
and the others are presumably practicing
their profession, with varying degrees of
success. In the residential portions of the
city.
Walter Wyckoff, in his graphic story,
"The Workers," and in subsequent maga
zine articles, created a type of the tramp
that has been generally accepted by the
public as being a correct picture of the
Individual of the species. Mr. Wyckoff
has yet to learn the first principles of ho
boism. He was with tramps, but not
of them. He had a bank account to draw
on; was never needy o'r hungry, and ho
never won the confidence of a real tramp
In his whole career. His descriptions are
surface descriptions His creation was a
morbidly sad and sorrowful man, with the
hand of fate, the sword of Damocles and
many other uncomfortable and unnecessary
things hanging over his head. It is an er-
rfToictf
roneous Impression. The tramp ls a jolly
kind of a fellow. His motto Is:
Xiet the wide world wiggle as she will,
"We'll be gay and happy still.
He Conies to Town.
This Is the tlirfe of year when the genus
hobo flocks to town. Country life no longer
has charms for him. The joys of rural
simplicity and rustic surroundings are
faded. It Is no longer pleasant to He
under the apple trees and sniff the clover
scented air of the farm. "Carrying the
banner" in Portland is preferable to mak
ing a bed on the soft side of a fence rail,
with no cover except the vaulted dome of
heaven. So the "worklngman" comes to
town.
No pent-up Utlca confines our powers;
The boundless universe ls ours.
John Howard Payne.
The hobo" element of Portland Is cos
mopolitan in its make-up All roads lead
to Portland, as they formerly did to Rome,
and the vagabond that ls shivering In the
bleak wind on Boston common Thanks
giving day, may be lolling In the lobby of
the Scandavia house In Portland In the Ides
of December. There are many routes that
he may come by, but In hobo dialect they
a not called by the names by which
they are known to the public. A tramp
never says he ls going West over the
"Monon," "Northwestern," "Burlington"
or "Union Pacific," but he Informs his
comrade that he Is going to work the "Pie
belt." By that he mans he Is going to
travel through the northern portion of
New York state, where the farmers' wives
usually place a piece of pie in the "hand
outs" they donate.
Should a tramp inform, you that he came
from the East by the 'Poultice route,"
you must know that he begged his way
through Utah by Salt Lake and Ogden.
The plural wives of the Saints feed the
way-worn travelers with bread and milk.
Poultices are made of bread and milk,
hence, "Poultice route." "Hungry Man's
canyon" Is that part of the Oregon & Cal
ifornia railroad between Shasta and
Grant's Pass.
The dialect of hobos Is picturesque, and
I 111 Ifiim cy-
some of. the words and expressions are in
genious. The conversation of a i typical
tramp Is so filled' with hobo words as to be
almost unintelligible to a novice. When one
tramp aska another, "How's eating here?"
he simply wants to know if the 'people
of that town or section are hospitable
to the Ishmaelltlsh wayfarer. Bread is
called "punk"; butter, dope"; coffee, "Ja
va"; chicken, "gump"; a lunch, a "hand
out"; a square meal, a ''set-down." The
conductor is a "con"; the brakeman a
"shack," and a policeman is a "bull."
"Throwing your feet out" means energetic
begging, and the principal street of a town
is "de stem." To "kep," or a place to
"kep," Is only to sleep. It is hard to
explain why a priest should be called a
"Galway," but he Is, and "hitting the
Galway for punk." is a well-known method
of procuring bread. A schoolhouse Is al
ways a "knowledge," and Is known as a
desirable place In which "to kep" when
"on the road." '
There are numerous kinds of hobos. The
"blanket stiffs" are the most numerous in
Portland. These men carry a big roll of
blankets on their backs, in winter and
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7
sunimer. They serve a 'dual purpose.
They can be utilized as a bed, and they
lend a kind of dignity to the tramp and
give him the appearance of a working
man. This is of much assistance to
him in obtaining food from the sym
pathetic housekeeper. "Gay cats'' are the
variety of tramps ,that are fairly well
clothed, and act somewhat along the. llnev
oi connoncQ-men.Nru.'ney-uari
"meilot good' address, and always luivtr a"
plausible story to telL. -
"Man With a Graft."
The "man with a graft" is the hobo who
carries a "fake." Sometimes he sells eye
medicine, razor-strop paste, silver-plating
fluid, or furniture polish. Dealing In
"phony" jewelry Is the most frequently
worked "graft." A few days ago a hungry-looking
man came into a Third-street
restaurant and told the proprietor a hara-
luck story and said
"I have nothing left but my ring' (pro-
duclng a good-looking, plain ring) ; I, am
starvlnir, and you can have the ring at
your own price."
"Is it gold?" asked the caterer.
"I don't know," replied the tramp. "To
be candid, I will say that I never bought
this ring; but you don't care how I got it,
so long as you obtain it honestly."
The restaurant man at once gave the
tramp a meal and a dollar for the ring,
believing he, was getting a bargain in
stolen goods. The ring really cost 8 cents.
lre Tramps' Hostel.
God's children are gathering home.
Gospel Hymns.
The principal hostelry In Portland ror
hobos is the Scandavia house. This commo
dious notel Is conducted on both the Amer
ican and European plans A rate of 20
cents a day-is charged guests who prefer
the American hotel system, but single
meals and beds that are advertised as
"clean" are 5 cents each. If Willie can
rustle 5 cents on his advent in Portland,
to this resort he at once goes. All Jthe
home comforts are provided. A big wood
fire Is maintained in tho "office," and a
pot of boiling water affords a good place
to wash a shirt, or pair of hose. A tub
an washboard are among the office tur-
nlture. At any time during the day,
shirtless men may be seen bending over
the washboard, and the, clothesline
stretched across the room above the$ stove
ls always well decorated. Occasionally
Willie has a razor and the process of get
ting scraped ls gone through. "Boiling
up" ls what this semiannual washday ls
called. It is a great luxury, and Is done
not so much to remove the dirt from the
garments as for other purposes;, for It's
a,physlcal fact that hot water will destroy
animal lfe.
Some Only Sleep There.
Many hobos patronize the Scandavia ho
tel only for sleeping purposes. The 5 cents
that will get a meal there at certain times
of day will procure a big schooner ot stale
beer and an . unlimited quantity of free
lunch, at some of the unsavory saloons In
the viefnity. And unless WllhVis very
hungry he always prefers beer to food.
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The Scandavia Is known to the profession l J2?:!S"" " ' ' i " -flEaa
allvover the country, and, for miles aTound "" rww' 5 z4j$?jffii Sr
Portland, Is advertised on rocks and fences Vri """""""""""y5& sy1
along the railroad tracks.
When a tramp first gets to town, he
hunts a "wash," He usually .goes to the
river and makes his ablutions and then
starts out for something to eat. The sub
urban residences are generally consid
ered good, but most of the profession pre
fer to "work" (the hospitals, schools and
large boarding-houses. Times are not
what they used to be, and the hobo knows
that he Is likely to be expected to won:,
and will sadly tackle a woodpile for a
square meal.
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"sAr -wa -do vz)L
After he has -obfalned two, or, possibly,
. l..wvu uui, onuu.it! ixiouis, ne returns
U to the "business part of the city and be-
J 'gins to "rustle k for bed money." Five
niflO ft. nlv rwv..... . .. 1 1 L
cents Is set apart for lodging purposes, and
the remainder is Invested in "booze," and
it is a glowing tribute to the generosity
of the American people In general, and
the Portland people in particular, to state
that Weary Waggles generally goes to
bed gloriously drunk.
This is the dally routine, and It is fol
lowed with more or less sameness until
spring, when Willie again sets out for the
green fields of the East and again be
comes Dusty Rhodes.
Married the Widow.
I havo seen her! Once: I was weak and spent,
On the dusty road a, carriage stopped;
But little tihe dreamed, as on she went,
Who kissed the coin her fingers dropped.
Trowbridge,
on record, -where u tramp wedded a Port
land woman. It would be cruel to call
names, but this couple now permeates the
upper strata of society, and, as for that
matter, the woman always did. She was
born to the purple, and carried the pro
verbial silver spoon in her mouth and the
mantle of charity around her shoulders.
Several years ago, he erstwhile Mean
dering Mike, now the prosperous business
man, came to Portland on the brakebeam
of a. car. He washed his grimy hands ana
face In the Willamette, near Pennoyers
saw mill, and proceeded uptown to get a
"handout." On the door of. a particularly
neat-looking house that he approached, he
saw a huge band of crape. He "passed
up" this house, of course, and went to the
one next door.
By accident, the traveler learned that
the crape on the door meant the death ot
the young husband of the house. By dex
terous Inquiry he ascertained the name
and. took a note of the street and number.
Then he left town.
Bides His Time.
'The next, six weeks were spent in wan
dering along the Willamette river, from
village to village, and after sufficient time
had elapsed for the- young widow's grief
to become less poignant, the hobo returnea
and wentdlrectly to the house. He was
met at the kitchen door by the widow,
dressed in the deepest mourning. He told
her that he knew her late husband ana
had heard of his death and frankly ex
pressed his desire to possess a-suit of tno
dead man's clothes. He told a hard-luck
story, and told it well. The young widow
was deeply interested. She gave Weary
Waggles the desired clothing. She also
gave him food and money and a lecture
that struck home.
He resolved to reform and go to wonc.
With his newly acquired garments, he
presented va neat and natty appearance
and easily procured employment. He was
bright and energetic and rose in the busi
ness. In the meantime, the y oung widow ,
did not lose interest in her protege, and
six months after the old-clothes episode,
there was a quiet wedding in Portland.
But cases where professional tramps re-
f01 fa become Plars society are.
isuiaieu ttiwi as mr apart as me proveroiai
visits of angels. The habit of vagabondage
is as fixed and hard to break as the opium
or cocaine habit Once a tramp, always a
tramp, ls a law as Immutable as those
of the Medes and Persians, which chang
eth not.
Her Sympathies Moved.
Now abldotb, Faith, Hope and Charity; theao
three, but the greatest of these is Charity.
jraui.
The average tramp keenly appreciates
the humor that often underlies his
pathetic appeals for help and the result
ot his importunities. A man recently
told, in the lobby of the Scandavia hotel,
of a little experience which he had had
that day, trying to move a VYoman'a feel
ings to a sufficient degree to obtain a
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meal. He said It occurred on Willamette
Helgths. It may, be true, and may not be.
He was very hungry, and. had appealed
In vain to numerous housekeepers for
food. All his finest hard-luck stories had
been related, in various and sundry tones
of voice. The "dead-wife" story and the
"deaf-and-dumb" racket had been worked
to no avail. He finally determined On a
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plan that he thought was sure to melt
the stoniest heart. He entered a yard
" tiui- uuwu uu ma uanas ana Knees
an1 bgean to eat grass, after the man-
ner that Nebuchadnezzar is sal
said to have
This moved the ladr of the
house She came to the front door, and
the following conversation ensued:
"Poor man, you must be very hungry."
"Yes, madam, .I'm nearly famished."
(Keeps on eating grass.)
"Then come around to the back yard,
where the grass Is higher."
"Making a MulHsan."
Another traveler present described the
operation of making a "mulligan." Five
or six hobos join in this. One builds
a fire and rustles a can. Another has
to procure meat; another potatoes; one
fellow pledges himself to obtain bread,
and still another has to furnish onions,
salt and pepper. If a chicken can be
stolen, so much the better. The whole
outfit 13 placed fn the can and boiled until
it is done. If one of the men is success-
ful in procuring "Jaa," an oyster can
ls used for a coffee tank, and this ls
also put on the fire to boll. Incidentally
it may be mentioned that California ho
bos always put a "snipe" in their coffee,
to give it that delicate amber color and
to add to the aroma. "Snipe" is hobo
for the butt end of a cigar that smokers
throw down in the streets. All hqbos
have large quantities of snipes in their
pockets, for both chewing and smoking
purposes. A "beggar stew" is a "mulli;
Cryptograms and Jleroslyphlcs;
And when he seeth the blood on the lintel
and. on the- two side posts, he will pass over
the door and will not suffer the destroyer to
come in unto your houses to smite you iloses.
Everybody has heard It jocularly said
that a hobo puts a chalk mark on the
front gatepost," to Indicate the charac
ter of his reception to others of the pro
fession. It's true. These hieroglyphics
aro formed in the manner of old coats-of-arms,
and anyone who ls given the
fundamental principles and who knows
anything of the study of heraldry, can
work out these "monacas," as they are
called. It Is supposed that "monaca" Is a
corruption of monogram. Every water
tank and freight depot in the United
States is covered with them. Many of
these inscriptions, although neatly carved
and pretentious, are meaningless, and
were put there by amateur hobos, who
do not know the principles of "monacas."
Here are some of the cabalistic signs:
f 2 '
Mcnnlncr of the Signs.
The character shown in cut No. 1 means
"good," and the hobo who sees that on
a fence or door may reasonably expect
to be fed at that house, if heputs in a
good plea. No 2 Is interpreted as "very
good," or "excellent." It means that, In
addition to getting something to eaC
there is a good showing- for old clothes
or shoes, and this inscription is eagerly
watched for, especially on farmhouse gate
posts. "Monaca" No. 8 denotes danger. In
common usage, It means "a bad dog,"
and "houses with that sign on the lintel
are avoided. Cut marked No. 4 denotes
that the beggar for food will get It, but
he must cut wood, or do some other work,
in payment. With these outlines, almost
any message of Interest to hobos can
be conveyed. His vocabulary Is only lim
ited by his ingenuity. Some of the com
binations most 'often seen are:
Number five can easily be read as
meaning: "A good grafter can here ob
tain a choice meal and also a piece of
money," There is no more welcome Mon
aca than this. No. 6 reads: "These peo
ple have a mean dog, but If you succeed
in running the gauntlet, they will treat
you well." The sign marked 'No. 7 Is
discouraging. It is read as follows:
"There Is a bad dog here, but If you
can get bv him. von tow h rtiin-nmA n
exercise your muscles at the v, oodpilo In
exenange for some noA vWmT
exenange for some x:old victuals.'
Willie's Mode of Travel.
A horse, a horse, my kjngom for a horse.
Richard III.
A hobo will not walk. He must have
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something to ride, and the railway cart
are the most convenient things to ba
found. In former days, empty box cara
offered the best means of transportation,
but lately railroad officials have begun to
frown upon tramping, and freight brake
men and conductors have Inaugurated a
system of collecting small sums for fares,
and these combined facta hove, in a inri?
measure, driven Willie from the Inside of
the car to the outside, and often to the
brake rods beneath it. This plan of "rid
ing the rods" is exceedingly dangerous
and ls uncomfortable as well; but In the
night there ls little danger of being de-
tected by the "shack" and long jumps can
De made.
Tlie "Wind baggage" is another favorite
sPot to rIde- ThIs Ia v the Platform be-
tween two baggage cars tnat nave no
end doors. Once on and the train going,,
the hobo is safe until the next stop ls
made, and then he must maneuver to
keep out of sight of trainmen. Trampa
sometimes ride hundreds of miles on the
blind baggage before they are put off. or
"dltched," as they call It.
They also ride on top of passenger
coaches. This mode of locomotion Is
called "decking her," and if the man
does not happen to fall off, ls the surest
plan of all for getting over the road. He
may get what few clothes he has burned
as full of holes, as a sifter, but he is
sure of his ride. The hobo also rides on
the pilot of the locomotive, and late at
night, when the porter falls asleep, on
the rear platform of a Pullman car.
Sometimes all these plans fall, and he
has to resort to walking. This 13 called
"drilling" nd, besides being wearisome,
is hard on "kicks."
JBrlc-n-Brac.
A. tramp at the
Scandavia
house,
pockcts he extracted the following arti
cles of Iftu and brlc-a-brac: An onion,
a razor, soap, towel, four handkerchiefs,
a napkin, a comb, three soda biscuits, a
pipe, a knife, a bag of "snipes," a parcel
of salt, a box of matches, fUe railroad
maps, a candle, a bologna sausage, a
small tin box, a broken whisk broom, sev
eral pieces of twine, a spool of cotton, a
pocket mirror, a lead pencll'and a "buck
eye." The pockets were not full, and the
man said he could make room for several
"handouts."
This fellow was a comical-looking speci
men. His shoes were not mates. One
was patent leather "No. 7"; the other was
tan, low-quartered and "No. 10." His
trousers were of that summer variety,
known as "soda-water" pants, and for a
coat he wore a ladles wrap of blue ma
terial, with two large mother-of-pearl
buttons behind. He had just come down.
Tacoma-way and wa3 "boiling-up."
J. W. H.
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MAGIC POWER OF BOOZE.
"(A Kentucky Legend.)
Chief Bour-Bon, whom tne god had named to
hold
Te ruling scepter o'er those people bold.
The great Kaln-Tuck-Ab, tribe, laid' down to
nleep
Within the shadows of a forest deep.
But ere the- breath of slumber tenoned Ms eyes
A. red-clad form of most unearthly guise
Appeared before him, and turned loose that
same
Old smile Lewis Morrison bas brought to fame.
And thus -he spake:
"I am. Satana. he
"Whom whlte-sklnred missionaries sent to free
Tour people from the joke ot bondage state
Is ever seeking whom he may cremate
The ruler of the kingdom down, below
"Where weather gueesers never mention, scow.
You've longed for greater power almost from
Wrtfe
Now will I moke you think you own the earlhl"
He beckoned, and from out the forest atroda
A group of devils staggering 'neath a load.
Of vessels, oie of coppered wormy build,
And eoon. a cauldron o'er a. fire was filled
With golden maize and wrlttilng snakes- and
frogs
And other reptiles caught In forest bogs-.
And' from, the tail of tnat great worm there
Gripped
i A golden nectarr thia old Bour-Bon. sipped
Aa great Satana bade, and soon he rose
And with a whoop assumed a scrapping pose
And smote hlo fists and swore that he could lick,
A million devils, and could do It quick!''
That he was king; and If Satana thought
For Just one fleeting second, he was not.
Just peel his duds and get Mmself to trim
And BoUr-Bon would wipe up the carrth with
him!
Sa.tana. smiled and said "Good-bye, old boy;
I leave ou here tMs wormy fount of Joy
Make known the secret to the peopled earth.
Fill all this new-found 'land with. Jag-wrought
mirth
And boozy misery, for that, you know.
Will swell my population down below 1"
Tho valstac& "" and so the smoking stlMa
Cast murky shadows o'er Kaln-Tuck-Ah's hllle
And through the passing years up to this hour
The wondrous Juice retains its magic power.
For he who bous it beneath bis girth
Imagines fora time he owns the earth.
Denver Post.
a