ROPE BEDS.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 191, 12 February 1887, Page 3

ROPE BEDS.

The nights are growing colder and benches in the parks ore in less demand A tramp if he is tough and doesn't mind cold feet, can find a lodging place without trying more than one square, and if he ia particular about it, he can have a whole bench to himself. Business at the bumming hotels oi" the Bowery is picking up in proportion to the foiling off of park pationage. The gentleman of inelegant leisure who can acquire 5 cents aoe a to a dive where beer dregs are kept on draught, pay* his nickel for a drink, and has the privilege of sitting mi a bench for the ie?t of the night If the place is not crowded he can lie down, but he hap to get his legs out of the way and sleep eitting up if more guests arrive, aa bi-< nickeJ entitles him only to one seat. For tramps out of Inck there is a less expensive lodging place on the East Side. The proprietor formerly had benches in the back room, but his patrons- were the mo:e dipordtrly class of wanderers, and they bruKe up co many benches during their boisterous disagreements that the profits were all absorbed in repairs to the furniture Therefore he had discarded benches and eiiairp. and stretches three stout ropes across the room — two at the hflight of four feet fVora the floor and on 6 at about a foot and a half He draws staler beer than the benchbou?es keep and charges only 3 cents a glass. The purchaser cf a glaes of beer acquires the privilege of leaning against a rope all night, and sleeping there if he can. Early customers get the lew rope and can git on the floor with their backs against the cable. By throwing the arms over the rope and letting it support the body under the armpits, an attitude of s^baritiph comfort is attained. An old customer said: "It's a little tough at first, boss ; but you try it for a few weeks, and it'e reg'lar swell snoozin'. I've got callouses on my back and undur my arm", and that 'ere rope's fine as live feathers now. Yer oughter try it." f ate comers have to put up with less luxurious accommodations on the high line, standing up and hanging over it in such a posture ac the individual fancy or experience suggests. Late at night this unique lodging hou&o presents a picturesque appearance. Some of the guest= have their backs against the ropes anal their arms over it — an attirude of somewhat carelet-s dignity and ease ; but tho^e who are notoriously addicted to snoring are constrained by pressure of public opinion to rever«e the position and hang over the high line with their breastß against it «i»d faces downward. The proprietor usually cautions new guests that gentlemen who snore are not permitted to sleep on their backs. Toward morning, if the house is full, the rope gets paggy in the middle and the guests are inclined to slide down from the ends toward the middle, which tends to crowd the lane worse than three in a bed, and promote difeord, ill temper and Jkickp. (icests are supposed to depart •at 6 a.m , and promptly at 6JO o'clock the hose is turned on the floor, which never faile to aronso the sluggards. There is a tradition among the patron 1 ? that a humorous tramp once waped the floor under the high ropes and made it impossible for a guesfc to maintain any other than a strictly erect posture. Ah soon ac anybody began to doze his feet slid away from him and he came down with painful emphasis. The weak point in the tradition is attributing to one of the fraternity the ownership or intimate acquaintance with u piece of eoap. However, the fact tbat cleats have been nailed io the floor in front of the ropee gives an appearance of probability to the stary.