Why Does This Blog Exist?

You never know what you'll find here - anything with genealogical or historical value is fair game. This blog will be updated as I clean out my office, go through boxes and piles, or find pertinent items at antique shops. In the meantime, I hope you find something of interest here.

Sunday, January 17, 2016

Bums of Stark County, Illinois

Wyoming Post-Herald
Thursday, January 24, 1889


                The country schoolhouse is a delightful haven of rest to the footsore and weary pilgrims vulgarly termed “bums.”  No matter how inclement the weather may be, nor how inhospitably the housewives may treat their back-door callers, when the shades of night are falling the genius tramp knows where he can pass the night in comfort; where he can hang his hat on a peg, toast his feet by the fire and smoke his pipe in peace.  “Love laughs at locksmiths,” and so does the bum at the primitive contrivance, called a lock, on the schoolhouse door.  To his untutored mind the four walls of a schoolhouse enclose a luxurious boudoir, and the floor is so soft as a bed of eider down.  The schoolhouse in Walter Cox’s neighborhood has been a favorite resort for tramps of late, and a short time since a new lock was placed on the door, but to no purpose.  A party of young folks in passing the building one night recently saw a light within, and on looking through a window they beheld nine big lazy bums lounging around the stove, talking, smoking and having a good sociable time in their peculiar way.  A newspaper and six feet of floor is as good a bed as the tramp cares for, and he usually gets it.