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passing property in the air； which may have left something to eat
behind it。 They look upon old shoes； wrecks of kettles and
saucepans； and fragments of bonnets； as a kind of meteoric
discharge； for fowls to peck at。 Peg…tops and hoops they account；
I think； as a sort of hail； shuttlecocks； as rain； or dew。
Gaslight comes quite as natural to them as any other light； and I
have more than a suspicion that； in the minds of the two lords； the
early public…house at the corner has superseded the sun。 I have
established it as a certain fact； that they always begin to crow
when the public…house shutters begin to be taken down； and that
they salute the potboy； the instant he appears to perform that
duty； as if he were Phoebus in person。
CHAPTER XI … TRAMPS
The chance use of the word 'Tramp' in my last paper； brought that
numerous fraternity so vividly before my mind's eye； that I had no
sooner laid down my pen than a compulsion was upon me to take it up
again； and make notes of the Tramps whom I perceived on all the
summer roads in all directions。
Whenever a tramp sits down to rest by the wayside； he sits with his
legs in a dry ditch； and whenever he goes to sleep （which is very
often indeed）； he goes to sleep on his back。 Yonder； by the high
road； glaring white in the bright sunshine； lies； on the dusty bit
of turf under the bramble…bush that fences the coppice from the
highway； the tramp of the order savage； fast asleep。 He lies on
the broad of his back； with his face turned up to the sky； and one
of his ragged arms loosely thrown across his face。 His bundle
（what can be the contents of that mysterious bundle； to make it
worth his while to carry it about？） is thrown down beside him； and
the waking woman with him sits with her legs in the ditch； and her
back to the road。 She wears her bonnet rakishly perched on the
front of her head； to shade her face from the sun in walking； and
she ties her skirts round her in conventionally tight tramp…fashion
with a sort of apron。 You can seldom catch sight of her； resting
thus； without seeing her in a despondently defiant manner doing
something to her hair or her bonnet； and glancing at you between
her fingers。 She does not often go to sleep herself in the
daytime； but will sit for any length of time beside the man。 And
his slumberous propensities would not seem to be referable to the
fatigue of carrying the bundle； for she carries it much oftener and
further than he。 When they are afoot； you will mostly find him
slouching on ahead； in a gruff temper； while she lags heavily
behind with the burden。 He is given to personally correcting her；
too … which phase of his character develops itself oftenest； on
benches outside alehouse doors … and she appears to become strongly
attached to him for these reasons； it may usually be noticed that
when the poor creature has a bruised face； she is the most
affectionate。 He has no occupation whatever； this order of tramp；
and has no object whatever in going anywhere。 He will sometimes
call himself a brickmaker； or a sawyer； but only when he takes an
imaginary flight。 He generally represents himself； in a vague way；
as looking out for a job of work； but he never did work； he never
does； and he never will。 It is a favourite fiction with him；
however （as if he were the most industrious character on earth）；
that YOU never work； and as he goes past your garden and sees you
looking at your flowers； you will overhear him growl with a strong
sense of contrast； 'YOU are a lucky hidle devil； YOU are！'
The slinking tramp is of the same hopeless order； and has the same
injured conviction on him that you were born to whatever you
possess； and never did anything to get it： but he is of a less
audacious disposition。 He will stop before your gate； and say to
his female companion with an air of constitutional humility and
propitiation … to edify any one who may be within hearing behind a
blind or a bush … 'This is a sweet spot； ain't it？ A lovelly spot！
And I wonder if they'd give two poor footsore travellers like me
and you； a drop of fresh water out of such a pretty gen…teel crib？
We'd take it wery koind on 'em； wouldn't us？ Wery koind； upon my
word； us would？' He has a quick sense of a dog in the vicinity；
and will extend his modestly…injured propitiation to the dog
chained up in your yard； remarking； as he slinks at the yard gate；
'Ah！ You are a foine breed o' dog； too； and YOU ain't kep for
nothink！ I'd take it wery koind o' your master if he'd elp a
traveller and his woife as envies no gentlefolk their good fortun；
wi' a bit o' your broken wittles。 He'd never know the want of it；
nor more would you。 Don't bark like that； at poor persons as never
done you no arm； the poor is down…trodden and broke enough without
that； O DON'T！' He generally heaves a prodigious sigh in moving
away； and always looks up the lane and down the lane； and up the
road and down the road； before going on。
Both of these orders of tramp are of a very robust habit； let the
hard…working labourer at whose cottage…door they prowl and beg；
have the ague never so badly； these tramps are sure to be in good
health。
There is another kind of tramp； whom you encounter this bright
summer day … say； on a road with the sea…breeze making its dust
lively； and sails of ships in the blue distance beyond the slope of
Down。 As you walk enjoyingly on； you descry in the perspective at
the bottom of a steep hill up which your way lies； a figure that
appears to be sitting airily on a gate； whistling in a cheerful and
disengaged manner。 As you approach nearer to it； you observe the
figure to slide down from the gate； to desist from whistling； to
uncock its hat； to become tender of foot； to depress its head and
elevate its shoulders； and to present all the characteristics of
profound despondency。 Arriving at the bottom of the hill and
coming close to the figure； you observe it to be the figure of a
shabby young man。 He is moving painfully forward； in the direction
in which you are going； and his mind is so preoccupied with his
misfortunes that he is not aware of your approach until you are
close upon him at the hill…foot。 When he is aware of you； you
discover him to be a remarkably well…behaved young man； and a
remarkably well…spoken young man。 You know him to be well…behaved；
by his respectful manner of touching his hat： you know him to be
well…spoken； by his smooth manner of expressing himself。 He says
in a flowing confidential voice； and without punctuation； 'I ask
your pardon sir but if you would excuse the liberty of being so
addressed upon the public Iway by one who is almost reduced to rags
though it as not always been so and by no fault of his own but
through ill elth in his family and many unmerited sufferings it
would be a great obligation sir to know the time。' You give the
well…spoken young man the time。 The well…spoken young man； keeping
well up with you； resumes： 'I am aware sir that it is a liberty to
intrude a further question on a gentleman walking for his
entertainment but might I make so bold as ask the favour of the way
to Dover sir and about the distance？' You inform the well…spoken
young man that the way to Dover is straight on； and the distance
some eighteen miles。 The well…spoken young man becomes greatly
agitated。 'In the condition to which I am reduced；' says he； 'I
could not ope to reach Dover before dark even if my shoes were in a
state to take me there or my feet were in a state to old out over
the flinty road and were not on the bare ground of which any
gentleman has the means to satisfy himself by looking Sir may I
take the liberty of speaking to you？' As the well…spoken young man
keeps so well up with you that you can't prevent his taking the
liberty of speaking to you； he goes on； with fluency： 'Sir it is
not begging that is my intention for I was brought up by the best
of mothers and begging is not my trade I should not know sir how to
follow it as a trade if such were my shameful wishes for the best
of mothers long taught otherwise and in the best of omes though now
reduced to take the present liberty on the Iway Sir my business was
the law…stationering and I was favourably known to the Solicitor…
General the Attorney…General the majority of the judges and the ole
of the legal profession but through ill elth in my family and the
treachery of a friend for whom I became security and he no other
than my own wife's brother the brother of my own wife I was cast
forth with my tender partner and three young children not to beg
for I will sooner die of deprivation but to make my way to the sea…
port town of Dover where I have a relative i in respect not only
that will assist me but that would trust me with untold gold Sir in
appier times and hare this calamity fell upon me I made for my
amusement when I little thought that I