1858.] Pilgrims in a Circle. 323 and Chester counties, but who are occasionally drawn into this circle and for a time travel in it, the number often rises to at least one thousand! We are inclined to believe that this estimate is nearer correct than the first and more moderate one. These pilgrims have their head quarters to which at times they retire, and whence they go out on their circuits. The class to which they belong determines their head quarters. For the reader must be informed that there are at least four distinct classes of pilgrims, of which he shall soon have principal characteristics in order. But first we must give him a more general description of the fraternity as a whole; for though they differ in many respects they have also many things in common. They are generally men. It is seldom you find a female pilgrim in this entire circuit. Moreover they are generally men of some age; many indeed are far advanced in life, who can say that the days of the years of their pilgrimage are three score and ten, or even four score years. You see many of them sadly bowed under the load of years, with gray and white hair, and depending much on their staff as they go. Often when passing into the country have we met them with slow and unsteady steps measuring the heat and dusty road, or sitting under a shade tree by the way, with nervous hand wiping the sweat from their wrinkled brows. They generally carry knapsacks or bundles, bleached and weather-beaten like the tents of Kedar, and these are often stuffed full with all kinds of strange collections, so that they seem sufficiently heavy for younger backs. Yet they have borne them whilst they gradually increased, like the man who daily carried the calf till it became an ox, so that the enormous growth of rags, roots and minerals now seems natural to them. They are attached to it as men are to their load of sins, and like these, would only the more hate the merciful hand that should propose to relieve them of what seems to all but those who bear it, a useless and sorrowful load. Indeed it has grown to be part of themselves; and as in the case of ballast in a ship it is the load that keeps them steady in the way. What meaning would there be in travelling without a bundle ? The whole object of life would then be gone. What would the poor pilgrim then do with his back and his hands? What would he lay his head upon at noon-day under the shade tree? Swinging his hands, and walking erect and empty along the road, who would believe that he is a traveller? Even the world would disown him as a useless fellow, and what is worse, the whole fraternity would at once rule him out of the ancient and venerable fellowship of "pilgrims in a circle," for they all carry bundles. He might as well lay down his body as lay down his bundle. The pilgrims have their regular stopping places among the farmers, for dinner, and for the night, with its preceding supper and succeeding breakfast. They scarcely ever travel more than from six to eight miles a day; and thus it requires from a month to six weeks to make the circuit-indeed some get round only once a summer. There are some single farmers who know from twenty to thirty of them, having enjoyed their custom for many years. Indeed one venerable farmer informs us that there is one very old man who has been on the circuit in which his house is a station for over thirty years, and that he has regularly stopped with him each round. We know some farm houses, in the lane to which almost every evening you can see one or two pilgrims wending their way at sunset, and the farmer recognizes them the moment he catches the most distant glimpse of them as they come. In the summer after supper they adjourn to the barn for the night. Being weary from travel they retire with the barn-fowls, and in the morning are out as early. Not all travel in winter but retire to their several head quarters. Some, however do, and for their accommodation through the cold season, many of the farmers have a room and a bed for them, specially provided in the close granary on the spring-house, or on the garret of the farm house. This not "prophet's chamber,”—but pilgrim's chamber, is provided with a lock and key, to which the farmer himself attends, locking them in at night and leaving them out in the morning. They are thus kept in safety; and on account of some peculiar characteristics of one class of the pilgrims, the farmer himself feels more comfortable when he knows that his guest can neither fall out of the window nor walk out of the door. We have said that the pilgrims are generally men advanced in age. We must also inform the reader that they are generally unmarried men. If they had ever had families, they perhaps never would have become pilgrims. Some are, what are vulgarly called bachelors, who perhaps became such by a blight that fell upon their earliest love. Some are widowers to whom the world once became lonely. When their rose faded away, all the bright petals which united in it and made it one and fragrant, dropped away and have since been drifting in the wide, wide world, and there is no earthly power, no earthly heart, no earthly home which can unite them and make them blooming again. With these we sympathize. At the sight of them a very tender feeling steals over our spirit, and whilst we blame their wanderings we equally pity their lot. There is still another class who-though not in the scripture sense or in its spirit-have left home and wife and children, that they might become "pilgrims in a circle." Though no doubt even their wives and children would say, that "they have left their families for their family's good," yet would we declare the opinion that less than a good brute do they deserve the food they eat, and the friendly roof which covers their wicked and worthless being. We have told the reader, what by this time, from the general account we have given of the pilgrims, he may have farther judged, that they fall into everal distinct classes. It becomes us, as a historian who would not leave his subject in vague obscurity by dealing only in generalities, more particularly to characterize these classes. This is now the place to deliver what belongs to this part of the work we have taken in hand. The classes, covering and including the whole fraternity of "pilgrims in a circle," are four in number. And inasmuch as, according to the philosophy of history, that which is best, constitutes the most true and essential element and substratum of history; and that which is worst is more outward and accidental, even though for the time it may be most prominent-we, desiring to be philosophical in our present treatise, will begin with that class which we consider the best, and deserving of most respect and sympathy. 1. The first class might perhaps be designated as a kind of monoma 1858.] Pilgrims in a Circle. 325 niacs. They are not properly balanced in mind; and whilst they are right and sensible in many things, they are generally fanciful or crazy on some one point. These are generally an innocent, good-natured kind of persons, abounding in kindly feelings. They always feel the pressure of some benevolent mission which they think themselves bound to fulfil. Hence they travel. This class are generally medicine-men-itinerant doctors. They are acquainted with a great many cures, which, from a charitable desire to do good, as well as in the way of reward for hospitalities received, they zealously reveal to the farmers. Their bundles are filled with herbs and roots which, during the summer, they diligently gather in the woods. At all their tarrying places in summer-noons, on the porch after dinner, and in long winter evenings by the warm stove, they expatiate on the curing and healing virtues of these herbs and roots, often to the weariness of the farmer and his wife, but to the wonder of all the listening children. Never do they depart without leaving roots and herbs for the family, sufficient to last till they return again, with many oft repeated special directions as to their use and effects. These medicinal herbs and roots are "good for man or beast." Those left, as a general thing, grow in some distant locality through which the pilgrim's circuit leads, and it is as a special favor that they are brought at regular intervals; and the medicine-man takes great pains that the farmer shall never run out of his supply. Many of this class of the pilgrims are surrounded with a strange kind of mystery. Though free and friendly on some points, they have an awful gift of silence in regard to others. You know them and yet you do not know them; for there is always a part of their being that stands in the shade, toward which you cannot but look with reverence and awe. They often claim to possess strange and hidden knowledge. Besides a knowledge of the secret virtue of herbs, they profess themselves able to cure "by the use of words!" They carry with them and relate many legends of witchcraft and haunted houses. Some of them can also tell fortunes; and children are filled with a strange reverence toward them, regarding them as the living prophets of the land. These do not often suspend their travels even in the winter. It would not do to leave the farmers on their circuit without roots and herbs; and they greatly enjoy the opportunity of communicating their important wisdom to the farmer and his family during the long winter evenings. The head-quarters of such as retire in winter is the county poor house, where they seek to render themselves useful by means of their herbs and roots, regarding the institution as greatly benefitted by their skill and benevolent efforts in behalf of the afflicted. 2. The second class are mendicants, though by no means monks. They have a constitutional aversion to all kinds of labor. They are religiously opposed to being under the curse : "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." A farmer relates that he was walking one day along the inside of his fence, bordering on the turnpike. Outside on the highway there was one who had formally belonged to the fraternity of "pilgrims in a circle," but having grown tired of this roving life, had hired himself to the supervisor and was engaged in breaking stones on the road. Just then a pilgrim who had known him on the circuit came along, when the farmer overheard this conversation: PILGRIM. What now, Heinrich-have you got to work-and this hard, hard work, breaking stones on the road. HEINRICH. It is hard work enough, that is true. But I have my regular meals, a good home where I stay, and a little money left. PILGRIM. Pooh! boy-why dont you travel! As for food and lodging, I get that as good as I could wish on my circuit; and as for money I dont need any. Even my "schnapps" is sure at most of the places where I stop. "I don't like travelling," said Heinrich; "and I do," said the pilgrim; "at least," he added, "of the two evils I choose the least"—and breathing a deep sigh for his back-sliden brother on the turnpike, forward he moved, determined till death to remain faithful to his principles and diligent in his duties, as a "pilgrim in a circle." Some of this class keep up their travels through the winter, whilst many of them finding the business too severe on account of advanced age or superior laziness, retire to their head-quarters in the poor house. Of this class the keeper can count at least fifty in mid-winter. Why do these lazy wretches receive any countenance from the farmer? Why do they entertain them at all, or give them a single morsel of bread? The reader must know that there are so many of them, and they have so longed enjoyed the privileges of their circuits, that they claim them as a right; and if they are not accommodated, they are careful to let the farmer know by a kind of half-subdued threats, that should they grow uneasy under this small tax and refuse the pittance asked, something worse might befall them. We have been well assured that the farmers are really in dread of them, fearing that to deny lodging to one of these mendicants might cost them their barns? So widespread and burdensome has this evil become to the farmers that they have seriously thought of establishing a combined secret night patrol to banish them from the county. Those best informed say that Lancaster county feeds and fears not less than three hundred of these lazy itinerent scamps, who travel in a circuit from one farm-house to another from year to year. 3. The third class are the red-nosed flank of this "noble army" of "pilgrims in a circle." They go in the spirit of the old ballad: Sometimes drunk, And sometimes sober: Comes in October. These are petty beggars-" only a few cents !"-which the farmer's wife sometimes gives them "so that they go again." They have their head-quarters at low taverns, where they gather together as the vultures around the carcas. Here they can stay till what they have begged is spent, when they are started out on a new pilgrimage. This class are up to an operation which pays better than begging money. They go ragged, and thus successfully beg clothes, half-worn coats, hats, shirts, boots, stockings and other articles, all of which they know where to dispose of as second-handed clothing. In this way they gather enough in value in one circuit of a few days to keep them two weeks in boarding and liquor at the head-quarters. These clothes are sold to laborers, and a benevolent man, who is easily operated on by a pitiful story, need but observe closely to meet his own hat, boots or pants 1858.] Pilgrims in a Circle. 327 on the street. Almost any one will not decline such a gift, even if he does see that "his countenance doth witness against him," and when he would by no means give him money lest he should spend it for liquor. But is not the cunning of a thirsty toper proverbial? Well he knows how to turn stock into cash, especially when he acts under interested advisers. We have ourselves been caught by those in this trade; and that the business is carried on regularly in the way indicated, is well known. 4. The fourth and last class are the petty thieves. We have already mentioned that the farmers take the precaution to lock the pilgrim in for the night. They have the very best reason for doing this. They come as those in want, and they go as thieves. When they cannot steal directly they make use of arts. Thus for instance, one comes to a farm house in the evening. In a little while another comes. They both pretend to be strangers to each other. In the morning early the one leaves, taking his fellow's hat, coat, bundle and other articles. Now the poor robbed man must have a hat and boots, etc., and what can the farmer do but give him what he must have to get away. Before noon the travellers meet, and divide the spoils ! Farmers have informed us of this, and other such like tricks, which are common. The head-quarters of these are the same as those of the rednosed flank; except when, on account of their dishonesty, they occasionally fall into the hands of the police and are quartered in the county jail. These are the generations of the "pilgrims in a circle" in their classes, tribes and manners of life. The reader may rest assured that we have given him an authentic and reliable history. Should he closely observe the movements of these characters in his own neighborhood, he would no doubt ascertain that there is a circuit, perhaps on a smaller scale, around him, with its regular travellers. For be it known that these in the Lancaster circle have been heard to discuss together the relative merits of other circuits. The Berks County circuit is by some regarded as superior to this, notwithstanding the good name which Lancaster county bears as "the garden of the State." Some transient visiting pilgrims, whom inclination or some "sad disaster, following fast and following faster," has brought for a time into the Lancaster circuit, have not hesitated to declare that they fare better among the farmers of "Old Berks." Glad would we be to have light thrown upon this dispute of the "pilgrims," by some diligent pen in Berks, or any other county where these "pilgrims in a circle" do travel Behold the forests are growing yellow! The chill foretastes of winter begin to be felt. Already are some of the pilgrims leaving their circuits for the poor house. The medicine-men's root and herb harvest will soon be over. The pleasant season for travel is passing away; but we are told Into each life some rain must fall- and since then sad seasons come in every life, must they not also come to our "pilgrims in a circle." Our heart grows heavier as we think over the fortunes and fate, and especially the end of these poor fellow mortals. By what ever sins of their own, or misfortunes coming on them from others, has cast them forth, and sent them thus drifting through the world, they deserve our |