2 JANUARY 1953, Page 22

A Shuttler Shouters, I believe, are what the tramps call

members of the frater- nity who work to and fro between fixed ports of call on a route that never varies. When they reach their destination, they immediately set out on the journey back. We are on the route of one of these shuttlers. Where he comes from or where he goes I do not know, but he shows up regularly in the village, plods round the back streets making calls at particular .houses and then wanders off to sort out his bag of tricks on a seat under some trees. He is a dark-visaged man, and wears a battered hat and a ragged suit. His bag, from what I have seen, contains a jumble of rags which may hide treasured articles of a tramp's equipment. It is cold and wet just now; so he is probably late on his road. Usually I see him in the spring or early summer, and when I pass him in the street he bids me good-day. For some reason he strikes me as being an old soldier. It may be the vVay he carries himself or the way he shoulders his pack.