LEISURE LUCUBRATIONS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 86, 4 July 1871, Page 7

LEISURE LUCUBRATIONS.

1

Concerning Vagabonds.

The Weather is so disgustingly cold that your "Lucubrator" cannot get his fingers sufficiently lubricated to write an original article this week ; but the following, from the Liberal Review, is a very good substitute :

Yagabonds may b? divided into two classes—respectable vagabonds and disreput»bt|{ vagabonds. The respectable vagabond is, in a general way, a broken-down scamp. \ He has the same intense hatred of honest labour, and the same capacity for swindling. But his opportunities have not been so favorable, Or he possesses some absorbing vices. He is often a tippler who, when he has money, cannot keep away from the liquor bar, or he is so vicious as to openly frequent the haunts of vice. He has not got himself under any control, but must indulge his passions at all times and seasons. Thus he becomes known to be a vagabond, and is scoffed and jeered at. But, vagabond though he be, he is not always avoided. He is an amusing companion, for in rambling about he picks up plenty of scandal and news. Those who have not known him previously he will lead to believe that he lias the riches of a Midas and the wisdom of a Solon. But he cannot keep up the deception long enough for it to be thoroughly successful. You meet him one day dressed in the pink of fashion ; a week after, and you meet him in disgraceful attire. He has an intimate acquaintance with the interior and business of the pawn-shop, and this may account for the metamorphosis. Give him a first-rate situation, and he will not keep it. Nor will his salary suffice for his immediate wants. He lives upon the fit of the land, and runs into debt with his land-1 lady. How he manages to do this is a I mystery known only to himself, for laud- j ladies aie, generally speaking, difficult | people to get into dept with. He will i alsc rtin into debt with all tradesmen who will give him credit. He will raise money on the goods he procures from their shops. For instance, if he wants a pair of boots, he will send to a shop for four pairs to cnoose from, and then keep the lot. It must be distinctly understood that he rarely, if ever, pays his creditors. But what does he do with the money he obtains? He "stands" champagne and oyster suppers to friends as disreputable as himself, for he loves to be thought a great j man, and he thinks by these means to ob-l tain admiration. And then he drinks, and plunges recklessly into the vortex of j " fast" life. But it is not frequently that j he has money in his pocket. Often when he gets up in the morning, he does not know where his dinner—nay, his breakfast—is to come from, and he would be puzzled if you asked him where he was going to sleep the night. He has to "sponge " for the first, and rack his brain! for some scheme which will obtain him a I bed. He likes to get hold of a rich young! fellow, the sillier the better, with whom I he will be so very friendly. He will go j about everywhere with him, plan delight-j ful excursions and amusements—and let I him pay all expenses. He loves to be in-1' vited to a hospitable house, where he will contentedly remain as long as his host is willing to keep him. Quite a different individual is the disreputable vagabond. He makes no pretence to respectability. He luvks about street corners with his hands in his pockets, and is generally clothed with filthy rags. If lie can get a thing without working or paying for it he will do so. He is never batter pleased than when he has swindled some one. His miserable state is invariably due, ho says, to the badness of trade. One thing is certain—he takes precious good care he will never labour. When he enters a place, ostensibly seeking work, his piteous tale almost moves the flinty-hearted employer to tears. The latter is often so affected, indeed, that though he has already more workpeople than work for them to do, he will offer the wretched creature before him employment, who will smile as if exultant at the prospect of earning an honest penny, It is found, however, that he has had no breakfast or dinner ; in fact, has eaten nothing for some days. " Would the master advance him a filing or sixpence to get something to ; eaV\and he would come back to work in half an hour." The unsuspecting master, i parhaps, accedes to this moit reasonable j request, and the victim of misfortune de- • parts. That is the last that is seen of • him ! If work is refused him, he puts on • a most dolorous aspect, and begs for a few , coppers to relieve bis very pressing neces- \ sities. In either case he safely invests a \ large portion of what he receives in some f publican's till. It. is his dearest delight bo!,

get drunk. He thinks he is injured because he has not a greater share of this world's goods, but it never strikes his unsophisticated, innocent mind that he has himself to thank. We are inclined to believe that the respectable vagabond is the most despicable of the two. He is often a man of education, of manners, of intellect, but ho turns all to unworthy ends, because he is lazy and vicious. Certainly, he causes more misery, for he has greater opportunities of duping. But the disreputable vagabond is, in a general way, a brute without culture and refinement, possessed of a kind of cunning which serves instead of intellect. Like a brute he tries to gratify his desires with least labour to himself. Of course, respectable vagabonds often become disreputable vagabonds. It is not difficult lo guess what ultimately becomes of both.