INDUSTRIES OF TRAMP-HOOD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9466, 15 July 1891, Page 7

INDUSTRIES OF TRAMP-HOOD.

In an amusing article on « Tramps and their Ways ” contributed to the Gentle- , man's Magazine by " Peregrinus,” we find the following account of some ot their shifts to make a more or less honest number and variety of the occupations adopted by tramps is enormous and ■uprising. The names of them alone would comprise a very long list. The "grubber,” or hatter, is a man who renovates old . hats, buys those that are cast off, "fakes them up,” and re-sella them. Hie "grubber” usually, wears a clean white apron and a tall shiny hat, the emblem of his calling. A " blink fenser” ■ells spectacles, and talks learnedly to the aged rustic concerning his sight. He gets his cheap "frames” and, glasses from Birmingham, often plates them with a composition made by himself,, and ■ells 'a, pair occjisipnally as silver to iome;" flattie.” The " mushfaker” is a time-honouredinstitution. " Mush” means nnibrella, and a "faker” is a man who makes or repairs—generally the latter. The term “fafcer” is very extensively « ed as a cant word in composition with o.ners. Thus there are " mushfakers,” " chaneyfakers ” ’ ’ (menders of china), "oadeyfakers” or "grubbers” (hatters), ■nd so on.

Theife are also travelling bell-hangers, tinkers, machinists, and a host of others; Among the most impudent and barefaced ■camps of this class may be mentioned the "chaneyfakers,” “muchfakers,” "tinkers,” and “ grinders.” The grinder is easily recognised by his grindingbarrow, which he wheels in front of him, while his wife or a "pal” calls at the houses for " scissors, knives, razors, or any other cutlery to grind.” Sometimes tho " barrow ” is a " flash ” affair, covered with bits of brass and painted lighl-bluo or red; often it is a "kick up”—that is, a shaky little framework with onlyone wheel, which serves both as a fly-wheel for the ■trap and also for the purpose of locomotion. Grinding and "mushfakin” often go together, sometimes "chaneyfaking” is combined with one or tho other. The tricks resorted to by intinerant menders of china and the" patter” they press into their service are really astonishing, . The modus operandi ia much as,i follows .•—•Say a pair of " pais ” are working, together! They call at a house and a woman answers the door, “Morning, my lady. Mrs Hammond at the big hall told us. we was to call on her friend Mrs Jones at the farm, and say as how if Mrs Jones wanted any China repairing, burning, soldering,' fusing, or secret-bolting, she could highly recommend me and my man here as have just mended her ladyship’s best china soup tureen and sugar-basin at the moat reasonable price,” &c.

Mrs Jones at the farm is flattered that Mrs Hammond at the hall should even give a thought to her, and if she is a simple-minded woman, as she often ia, and has never been bitten before, she probably brings out a dish which has a nasty crack in it and asks if it can he mended. " Lor blesa yer, yes, my lady, and a beautiful dish it is; real Crown Derby china, or 1 ain’t no judge. You shall have it back in a hour, my lady.” And the poor woman parts with the dish. If she endeavours to get an estimate of the cost of repairing it the scampa “jolly” her—that is, they patter away to her about cracks here, rivets there, " burning and fusing ” somewhere else, and so confuse her withtheir incessant humbug that they at length get off without naming any price for the work. This is one of the great objects aimed at. A " chaneyfaker ” will exercise his utmost ingenuity, and it is considerable, to carry off a "joint” (a job) without giving a "thole” (estimate of coat).