The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-31

uyht "Heseb the extr9 HlsALp. RI ths soeosnt
sf O sseoA sssaanbeat lssl,n asa ssssis1s ias
u Mibr Bus Whils he staEt1 3 tbs public ear with
the horihls iAiDgs which b bdnp, Tia poor fellow
d only thlIking Of selling his suksyond getting
tho bishs& price for II that b 81 a not want
Of feeling 8 at aotuates him. II = his business, end
be pursues II q the undertaken does his, without
INDUCING In any useless exhibition Of sorrow.
We are sorry 70 b compelled 70 say that the
win Occasionally indulge u shs vics Il gambling.
It Is true they have not tbeIr clubs, Ike their fellow
bez gs Of tho fashionable world Who frequent Sara
toga, and the o'ber popular summer retreats Of the
bsax monde. Many Of them. TOO. we are also s,rry
to say, are devotees Of the jolly goa, and decided
opponents Of the Maine Liquor Law. For the
manly art Of sefdefenoe they have the highest
reverence, end to obtain the enviable repu-
tation among them OF being Q shoulder
hitter ID to have obtained al that n worth living for
When q prize fight Is announced. the greatest ex-
element prevails among them, and discussions that
often end In blows take place between the psrtzans
Of the rival pugilists. Sometimes this beIligerent
spirit is carried to exce9, o. in the case of two
boys that once heard o. neither Of whom was over
twelve years Of age. A dispute, It appears, had oc
CURED bet*een them ~ to which was "the bettor
man., and TO decide the controversy they agreed to
settle their differences BY trial Of their physical
strength. For this purpose they locked themselves
up in room, but wcre fortunately discovered be.
fore they had succeeded in doing much harm. Upon
being asked what Was the cause Of the difficulty be-
tween them, they replied that "they only wanted to
see which was the best man. They are certainly
not destitute Of physical courage, Whatever may be
their claims to moral excellence. During the
Mexican war, large number Of them enlisted,
and Is said cut the most extraordinary fouriahes
among the hidalgoes and senoritas-
A few years ago tremendous excitement took
place among the newsboys, In consequence Of an at
tempt en- the part Of some pious charoh members to
have ordinance passed prohibiting the sale Of pa
pers on Sunday. Their indignation Was Immediately
aroused at what they rightly considered most upjus
tifsbe assault upon their rights they called mass
meeting in the Park, and from temporary platform
erected in froEt Of the City Hall speeches were made
in their Defence and in denunciation Of tho attempt
that had been made to deprive them of the principal
means of earning subsistence. They succeeded in
defeating their religious opponents, for we believe
no efforts were ever made After that meeting to put
q stop to the sale Of Sunday papers in the public
streets.
The newsboy is occasionally somewhat extrava-
giant in his style Of living. and often neglects the
outer man for the cake of the inner. He makes,
during good week Of extras, seven or eight,
and sometimes as much as twelve dollars,
bat instead Of saving up for day of scarcity, he
INDUCES in "the delicacies Of the season." and
spends his money at the theatres with the most Ia
wish prodgaity. 1t Is In the theatre that he Is in his
glory, and nothing pleases him more than those
performances which are full Of desperate encoun.
tiers, tragic scenes, and striking tablcaux. They
will learn OF dialogues In which "the agony Is piled
on good and strong" although they are not gone
rally very correct in their recitation. We have
seen them initiate the fight between Macbeth and
Macduh, and 60 through all tho dying sgonies Of
the former in manner that would astonish our
theatrical critics.
One Of their favorite resorts Is q coffee saloon.
The proprietor is known by the name of "Butter
Cake Dick" and here, for the reasonable charge Of
Elk cents, they can procure cup Of coffee and three
cakes Of rather diminutive size. They formerly
occupied basement in Ann street as q sleeping
apartment, for the privilege of Occupying q fair
share on the floor Of which, each boy had to pay
q fixed cum, which, we believe, did not exceed
six cents. This place was called the Little Astor
House, to distinguish it from the greater, q very
necessary precaution certainly, when we consider
how many mistakes might occur il some such dis.
tinction had not been made.
Some of the newsboys purchase papers on their
own account, but large number are employed BY
others, who allow them per centngc on the num-
Der sold. One Of these, named Mark Mcguire, is
known among them as "the King Of the News.
boys,r on account of his extensive business in the
newspaper Line.
From some things We have said II might be
supposed that the ncwsboy was hard customer, y
but there many good points!n his character and
that would be doing him an injustice. We have
heard Of many who have been the chief support Of
their families, and who have attained for themselves
positions Of the highest rcspectability. This is q
sufficient proof of the falsty Of the charge that has
been made against them as being all bad, and that
their occupation is demoralizing.
THE PRSTERs' DEVIL.
In q complete description of newspaper estab-
lshment there is one very important parsonage who
should not be forgotten This is the Printers Devil
q sort Of attendant spirit ON thc compositors, to
whom he is OF great service in various ways. The
name is supposed to have originated from the popu
lar superstition in regard to Faust, to whom Ia
ascribed the invention Of the art Of printing, and
who was believed by the people to have been in
league with the Devil. However this may be, we
will not now attempt to determine, preferring to
leave the decision Of such an important historical
fact to those who interested in the subject
There are two other opinions in regard to the derivs
ton of the name which have the merit of plausibity
to reeommend them, il they have even no historical
foundation to rest upon. Some suppose the name
to have originated from his dirty appearance his
face and clothes being generally blackencd with
ink--while others are OF the opinion that il was