The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

ThrouoJi Darkest hwcnicss-shirc. 671
My good fortune in losing my umbrella, and finding
this track, was further accelerated by an important addition
to my own sociei}', in the shape (jf an undouJ^tcd specimen
•of the genus "tramp." I le came upon me rather suddenly
so suddenly, indeed, that he might ha\-e sprung out of the
bog ;
his api)carancc rather faxoured this idea, for he looked
even wetter than I felt m\-self to be. Me was closely
—
buttoned and pinned up in what about the beginning of
the present ccntur)- would no doubt ha\e been a respectable
black cloth coat. His (jther integuments were rather
mixed. A huge yellow-ochre cravat, a felt hat, which
probably had once been white, and to which was attached a
slimy bit of crape. His trousers were of brown moleskin,
and extended in some points to a little below his ankles, a
pair of well-ventilated boots, and one stocking, which per-
mitted some pearly toes to peep out.
He also wore a black e}'e.
I had often dreamed of ineetinga real authentic tramp
•one who could, as is the belief, give curious information on
curious, out-of-the-way subjects. Here then was the article
ready to my hand, and I need hardly say I determined to
make of him mine o\'ster, \\hich I with well-directed queries
wcnild ope.
It might ha\-e been that m.y queries were not well
directed. It might ha\c been that this particular " oyster"
was exceptionall}- difficult to "ope," at an\'rate, "ope" to
any extent he certainl)- did not, so that the curicnis informa-
tion the ' tramp " is popularly beliexed to be such a mine
of, was to me as unprofitable as a real (?) mine I had taken
some stock in a {q.\\ \ears before.
I tried him on " the weather" to begin with. He agreed
Avith me that it was wet, but as to whether it was to fair up
or get worse, he couldn't tell.
I asked him if he had heard of the new railway. He
certainly had, but that wasn't his line. Here I thought was
an opening. What was his " line ? " He evidently could
not make up his mind, for he made no repl)- beyond an