The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-04-14
From the New York Times
THE NEWS ROYS.

l
nv with friend, engaged in one OF ID.
newspaper Offices, to see how these boys
i've 1t was about midnight, when ihes
are coming back from The theatres, 10 take
iher suppcrs ln the frs, "cof!ee and axe
cellar, there were several gathered Little
| fellows from ten to thirteen years OF age
taking their coffee, or just about Lighting
their cigars. They we're talking costly q
the play. or what they had sold that day, ol
some gambling exploit. They did mol
seem to be conscious Of doing anything ex
trAordinary of being "on a spree" Il
was evidently what they always did IN the
evenings. They had all the manner ol
little men. There was one among them
"a little, slight boy, with rather delicate
face. and the asua! news boy cap, with the
lining hanging out, and large Pantaioons,
split up 10 the knee--wbo seemed to be
quite leading character. They all gather
ed around him, while he discoarsed OIL
something. lie did not look more than
eleven or twelve years old. My compan-
ion said he was the most accomplished gam
bier ia all New York. lie scorned 10 sell
papers, and made his living out Of the other
bows by his skill. At "malching cents
he was unsurpassed.
They generally took coffee and biscuit
the coffee quite good, with white sugar, at
three cents cup. No one took any strong
ldrink-and suspect, az general thing.
they do not drink much till they are older.
| One boy. HON VIC talked with, said he
had been at the tbeatre-lIked the play
very much; had had a pretty good day
made four shillings and hadn't been stuck
g. O., had no papers left on him). Another
little German. had made six shiliings.
Every neus-bov has his own '.beai,
land H he iavades the range Of another, he
IS vel pummeiled whan they all come back
O tic otiice The earnings are sometimes
very good indeed; an active boy will make
often from 62.c to 81 a day. An eXocu
ton in the city or revolution IN Europe,
will raise i, TO 81 or S3. Sundays are
the rich DAYS for the news boss-a good
bty netting then sometimes as high az S3
or 81. They are very shrewd, and always
see. or if they cannot read, ask whether
there is any grand accident or news on
hand, and buy accordingly.
After sitting some time. we went out te
some of their other haunts, and then to
their quarters" the first Lodgings was
down dark stairway Under the sidew ak
IN great charcoal box, where usually
some six or eight sleep, with the huge
steam press Changing IN their ears. An
other was little corner in the alley OF a
printing Office, where refuse and other old
paper is thrown; another. the floor of the
press room. Sometimes you will see them
curIed up around The grating on the side
walk. where the steam comes through. IL
summer they sleep in the Park and tht
Cur, House steps.
A little fellow of this profession, came
The oth her morning to the Office of a iricne
of ours, broker in Wall street, and wanted
"a half dollar "Bat why, my lad?' -
mean to set up again--l'm drg." "But
bavn't vou any money at aIlr Yes, be
had So at home. "WelI, why don't YOU
use tha,?' He wanted to keep that for
rainy davs--it was all he had. II he
could get four shillings. he would pay it up
IN day or two. On further questioning.
it appeared he had no home or friends. tie
boarded with an old woman up town, and
paid her 80 cents for bed and coffee 10 the
morning, and always came down about D
o'clock. The gentleman finally lent hln'
The haIf-doI!ar; and in a day or two, true
to bis word. he came back, clspped bis
piece on the counter, with a''There's your
money, old cnss !" and walked independent
" off
The news bows all 90 10 the theatre, and
YOU will see them sometimes IN the press
rooms criticising the play, or gathered ad
mrngly around some one who Is taking
off, the tavorle actors. They are great
admirers of the "sbort boys," and the en-,
zine hands, bu, are seldom allowed the
privilege OF such company. They make
money easier than any other class OF boys
in the CITY, and spend it as fast as made.
Theatres, gambling, drink, and worse
amusements. take i, off fast Last tall the
news boys had grand ball in Tammany
Hall. Some of their friends in the news
paper offices were invited, and they say
that twas as orderly and decent asanythlng
of the kind could be- Every one was in
good clothes, aud mol single woman OF
bad character was admitted, though they
knew the wcrs, Of the city. Their sisters
and others were the ladies' oIihe ball.
The number Of this class is reckonet
variously. bq those engaged IN the Offices,
from 200 to COO The average age. ]
should Judge. to Ue thirteen Years. 'Nhat
ever becomes OF themg' is a question po
one seems able to answer. They dlsnp
pear as my steriously as the celebrated
post bows described by SAM WELLER
With him, we might say, "Who ever earn
Of any old news-boys, or who ever attended
news boys funeral?"
In one OF our researches, atterward, we
gained an idea Of their probable end. 1t
was the back, dark room, of gip-shoP,
and there we're some ten newsboSs, Of an
older cass-perhaps eighteen or nineteen
wears of age-silting around the stove, so
Supplied with liquor, though il was only
9 o'clock in The morning. they could not
answer question ntelligently.
1t seems to me the first step to throw
kindly influence about these boys and re-
form ,hem--for there is no reason why
heir business should MOI be as respectable