Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-01-15
CITY LIFE-THE NEwsBoY's AGENT.


a few evenings since business kept US out
late, and having become somewhat exhausted
with the labors Of the day, we stepped into one
Of the cheapest, and in some respects one of the
best, eating houses in the vicinity of "Printing
House Square" The room is about ten by
twenty feet, and this small space is fully occupied
by counter, some three or four little tables,
and innumerable chairs. Here meet after eleven
at night, the newsboys, the apprentices, the
journeymen, and often the leading editors Of our
daily and weekly presses, where rich and poor
for six cents, manage to get cup Of compara-
lively good coffee and three lighter biscuit than
can be obtained al any other establishment in the
city, however pretentious it may be. We drop
ped in at this place, as we have already said,
the other night; it was cold and oheerless, and
for the moment we found ourselves the sole
customer, and from choice sat at the same table
with diminutye specimen Of humanity, whose
entire appearance was a comment on the times
and the lower life Of our metropolis. How old
the youngsier before us really was we could not
tell; bis size indicated nn undergrown child Of
about nine-he might have been eleven, but
hunger and hard usage had cheated him Of the
enlargement natural to his years. His coat sat
loosely about his shoulders, his pants were i'm
Inense, aud yet failed to the large boot and
small shoe which encased his feet His face had
some slight CLEANS of health, flashes OF red
streaking the pale blue of his complexion, as
rays of the sun linger upon the sullen covering
Of eve: his eyes were large and lustrous and full
OF such Intelligence MS denotes rat. There he
sut, his feet dangling far above the floor, busily
engaged in slipping in slow time the Ito him)
delicious contents Of the warm ooffee-oup before
tNn deiudhg his mouth at the same time with
scaoty crumbs picked from the biscuit on his
plate he had evidently expended four cents for
the midnight meal hefore him.
After eyeing the youngster for moment We
inquired: well my little fellow, what are you
out SO late for, this cold nightF
The questioned looked at US moment, as il to
see whether we were sympathetic or impertinent,
and theu promptly replied:
I'm an agent for Jim.'
This puzzled us; there was ink on his fingers,
and ink smeared across his pinohed.up face, but
his relation to the mighty press was not over
plain, so we continued 'we don't exactly un-
derstand; arc you a newsbOy?
why, yes, he doubtingly replied, 4 sells for
Jim; he stands on the corner. and takes papers
to the gentlemen on the other side Of the way as
don't come across
This explained his position ut once; too small
to go into trade on his own account, for he would
hAys stood no chance fighting on his own hook
he had naturally sheltered himself under the
egis of some well established distributor Of per-
louloulsi anu Dy running atter customers VINO
would not naturally come within the reach of the
principal, he managed to pick up a few pennies
as commission. The enterprise ofthe little fellow
was certainly refreshing, aud taught wholesome
lesson to the thousands Of grown up boys and
men who are now louuging round our street
corners, complaining, grumbling, and often steal
ing, on account Of the hard times. Flushed with
admiration at the brave heart of the little hero,
with the air of an Emperor we ordered plate
of pork and beans to be set before him, had his
coffee replenishej, aud his biscuits trebled.-
Thus fortified, we got ten times the worth Of our
money in witnessing the way he deyoured the
superabuudance before him. The provender dis
posed Of, the little newsboy rose from his seat,
evidently oppressed by such sudden and un-
expected addition to bis stores, and his surprise
was further evinced when l informed the land
lord that l would also be responsible for the
debts contracted on the Juveniles account.
1t is probable that this little sketch-a literal
portrayal Of an incident thousand similar of
which is enacted nightly in this sity-may be
read by some discouraged grown up souls, who,
out Of employment are ready to despair. We
would say to them, learn something from the
little agent of jim, and see how enterprise even
under the most disadvantageous circumstances,
will feed hope, give personal responsibility, and
meet with sure reward.-M Y. Spirit Of Times