The daily crescent., 1848-11-18

came to all the world letters, mathematics and
mummes with all their boass-and they were
fond enough Of boastng-could not brag of the
Newsboy. OF King Cheops much has been said
that has been forgotten and all that is positively
known respecting him is that he lived and died and
left great three-cornered pile Of rocks behind Or
rather above him. But Of King Mark Mcclure,
the Sovereign of the NewsbOvs, we know some
thing much better than pyramids. He is a Prince
who exacts the most implicit obedience from his
turbulent subjects, and whose royal labors are ex-
cIuslvely confed to the enlightenment Of the world.
Whenever a vessel arrives with intelligence from
the realms Of his sister Sovereign Victoria, that
willul, eapreious Republic Of France. His Majesty
the King of Nassau street, attended by his Prime
Minister, Tommy Ryan; his Secretary Of State,
Greek and all the under officers Of the Court,
comes forth in state while the whole community
are in the utmost excitement respecting. their
movements.
The genuine Newsboy, in his full developement
and activity, does not exist, except in New-York.
Your Philadelphia Newsboy, now, has sort of
sow-and-easy, deliberate sing-song, which inspires
you with any thing but desire 10 read the news.
But in New York, the quick, swapping cry, uttered
while undera full run, and trailing along like the
smoke of steam-pipe with the boat at the top of
her speed, communicates sort of excitement TO
the dullest laggard in the street, and seis the whole
city in a state Of efferveseence directly. The
NewsbOy is the pearlash dropped into the cider
fevery of everyday life, making it hiss and bub-
bic with an importance not its own. Without him,
of its power and half its activity. He is the an
tennB which feel, and forewam the community of
approaching news-the faster of the great cup OF
newspapersm, which every body quaffs Formerly
the Newsboy cried the leading features of his
news-but be found that many hundreds did not
care TO hear any more, and passed on without buy
ing. So now he has become chary Of his crying,
and gives little possible of the purport Of his
budget If you stop him and inquire what is the
news, YOU mag get civil answer-but we would
advise you NOT 10 rely too much the accuracy of
the intelligence If you would have the news, fork
over your pennies for an Extra Tribune, and then
read it honestly, and with clear conscience.
We have never made the attempt TO count the
Newsboys but we suppose, from general obser-
vation Of them in all their haunts and localities,
that there are about three hundred regularly and
permanently OH duty-incFeased by fifty or more
on extraordinary occasions. When the first News
boy appeared, or where he came from, no man has
yet told: we suppose, as to his parentage, he was
the son of an oysterman, from whom he derived
his voice. and the free and lf-possessed manner
with which he empoVsit in the street.
In his dress, he does not affect the latest fash
ions. No Newsboy, no legitimate Newsboy, has
ever been seen in whole suit The uniform of
his craft is slouehed cloth cap, dilapidated round
about and breeches, no shoes or stocking, and a
dirty face with hands to match.
Notwithstanding the digent and elaborate search
we have instituted, we have not been able to ascer
tain where the Newsboy has furnished himself with
his dress. We have inquired at all the faiIors:
Not one Of them is Tailor TO the Newsboys At
the sop-shops they work forthe Sailors not for the
Newsboys. At the secondhand Clothes Dealers
| in ChathaD-street, they do not reeollect to have
ever had Newsboy for a customer Some have
supposed their rigs, ft-ous, are thrown into the
street over night, by unseen hands, and picked up
| early in the morning by the Boys. Others, that
they grow upon the Newsbov's by degrees, like moss
about tree-trunks; that one day pair Of trousers
/ comes, the next week what they call coat, and
and then, as the season advances, an old cloth cap
For ourselves, we believe these suits have de-
scended TO the 18th Cenrury from remote antlqnl-
ty that they are fragments Of the costume of re-
mote period, artfuly reconstructed; and it IS MOI
| impossible land the heather manner in which they
are freely riddled gives pausibity TO the conJec-
hfe that some of them have figured in the Crusades.
Find US the Tailor who makes the Newsboy's Uni
form, and we will tell you when the American
/ Union is going to be dissolved.
/ We are afraid Tom Newsboy is a trile proAigate;
/ he swears, we know, freely; drinks. fights, and
very often stays out all night This last we must
not dwell on too strongly as vice, for it is often
necessity. Tom having no home to go to, and not
thinking it worth while to be at charge for lodg-
ings takes up his quarters for the night in box OF
bunk, under stoop or in an entry yway, where hall
4 a dozen of them frequently huddle together, heads
and points, with ashaggy dog in their midst, as
good fellow as any Of them.
Tom INDUCES too in games of Chance, and is
scarcely ever without dice, small cards, and other
implements Of hazard iii his pocket. We believe
devsing He pitches pennies sometimes, like other
bows or plays at marbles but this he holds to be
| small business. In general he disdains the COM
mon sports of youth, and rises on the wing into
loftier region of its own.
The most extraordinary feature, perhaps, in the
whole history Of the Newsboy, s his profound pas
sion for the Theatre. This is one OF the earliest
uses 10 which he deyotes his first earnings. The
Chatham or the Olympic has, always the first fruits
At the very opening of the doors he throws himself
into the pit and with judicial steadness watches
the progress of the piece. He generally takes pos
| session Of the middle of the benches: Many OF
them, by nscribng their names thereupon with
i knife, securing them against invasion, ana occupy,
ing them las they suppose) by as good right, and
with more regularity nightly, than the rich ire
ouenters Of Grace Church and st. Patrick's, their
news. with their names emblazoned on polished
4 plates, at an annual rent Of five hundredsdola
the pew.
Tie affects lin his dramas) thunder and lightning,
long-syyorls casuues and black-whiskered villains,
with mysterious exits and entrances, IN preference
4 10 everyday life. In bloody and violent DEATH
scenes he revels like little Pirate. There was a
AIr KifbV--he is gone now, poor fellow-We nope
lie naseed into the other world at the X. H. door =
i Who had great favor among the Newsboys, by his
4 convulsive and awful manner Of yielding up The
ghost on sthe Stage. Many boys, whose engage
T1eYts did not hermit an entire attendance, have
aia thefiill price to bein at one of Krbys death
strrooles They were unqueshonably the most
agniicent tlings (of their kndf sever seen IN TINS
coantFv The NeEYsbeys, however, held the iate
Mr. Kirby to a. strict account H he omitted
{ single groan or distortion Of feature, there was
general howl Of ofdisapprobation through the PIT, ano
E fhat Actor was compelled, more than once, to 60
through the deatt-struggles IA second and even
third time, till it satisfied The high requirements o.
these young censdfss s
Not only in his Keen Judgment IN such qlesso4ns
Of Art, but in all Newsboy accomplshmenls, ihe
New York practitioner, compared with the News,
boys Of other cities, takes the lead bY. seyera
lengths: In speed Of foef, power Of vociieratlon
rapidity of utterance, foree of eharacter-in fact
like every thing New York he is at the head Of h
class After the Theatre, the chief luxury of th'
4 NewsboY is, in common, glass or half-a-dozeE
glasses Of Whitley mixture, supposed % be
or to stand for cream; and in winter, at equa
number Of cups Of gloomy coffee, az penny cup
ss tba hther IS a penny a glass. No wonder thel
.,,.l .l,ss..ss "a lieir nI1rr for this Is