The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-12-18
The .N,esCsb0ys or Nesc York.

boys of New York by no means goes unrc-
warded,~ Though their earnings vary q
good deal, they having their good and bad
days like the rest of the world, they can
generally realize from 80 oonts to $3a day,
according to their age, activity and capital
On the arrival of important news, however,
when what are called "extras" arc issued,
some of them make considerable sums
During the La elections in Pennsylvania,
Ohio, and Indiana, when dispatches were
constantly arriving till late hour, one boy
sold $50 papers between II and lat o'clock
at night, realizing $11 net profit in one
hour and half his mate sold $40 in the
same time. These same boys, each about
is years fage, sold 1900 papers between
them when the telegraph announced the
capture of Jefferson Davis; and on the
evening that Mr.. Lincoln was assassinated,
they sold the enormous number Of 3,400.
His last batch of papers disposed Of, the
newsboy trudges down to Park place, and
merrily bounding up the wide staircase Of
one of the largest buildings in the street.
finds himself at home. This is the News
boys Lodging house" 5.., 49,.
Here, every evening, about 6s o'clock,
are congregated nearly 200 representatives
of humanity, in mud, rags, and tatters, from
to II years old. On entering each boy
gives in his name to the Superintendent, at
The same time paying Is cents, in return
for which he receives a ticket for his sup
per, bed and breakfast, and the key of a
locker, which is his for the night. Having
placed what money he wishes to save in
the Home money-box, he goes to the lava
tories, where there are baths, hot and cold
oh ~,
abundance. 1t does one good to see the
hearty way in which these youngsters go
in for scrub, with piece of yellow soap
and rough towel. Some ofthem must have
taken lesson from that chapter in Pick
wick where Mr.. Weller "has q rinse."--
Every boy is compelled to take bath
One by one they assemble in the large hall,
and although very orderly and well behav
ed, commence series of antics and chaff
with one another; the practice of the Gre
clan bend is just now very much in vogue,
and causes much amusement. They APP
pear to have q peculiar slang language of
their own, and most ofthem rejoice in some
whimsical soubriquet, such as: "Mickety,n
.Round Hearts, Horace Greeley "Wan-
dering Jew "Fat jack" ''Pickle Nose,"
"Cranky Jim," "Dodge-me-Joh !" "'Fickle
me- Foot, . "Know- Nothing Mike" "O'Neil
the Great, ~ professor and many Others
equally ridiculous At seven supper is
served, consisting Of bread and butter or
syrup, coffee or soup, and sometimes stew
ed meat and plenty of 1t. After supper
some attend the night school, generally
about 50; some go the gymnasium, a fine
large lofty room adjoining the hall, with
every appliance for amusing the boys; again
Others go into the streets either for amuse-
ment or to sell extras. 1858 nGhaaf
On Saturday night great many of them
attend the theatres. At nine all those who
are then in the home 60 to bed those who
are out after nine are fined one cent for
every hour they remain out, and no boy is
admitted after twelve o'clock under any
pretext whatever. They sleep in two mag
nifcent dormitories, each 100 feet by so,
lofty, well ventilated, and scrupulously
clean. The boys not Boosting any partic-
ular night clothes, generally 60 to bed as
nature made them, as it, would be quite
impossible to keep the bed clean if they
were allowed to sleep in the clothes they run
about the streets In. They all have good
wash in the morning, one Of the boys acting
as barber for the whole establishment, and,
Judging from the short length of the hair
of many ofthe boys, he plies his scissors
we'll, They have substantial breakfast,
and start once more ON their Bohemian ca
reer. Every alternate Tuesday the Home
forwards batch of those boys who are
anxious to do well to the western farming
districts, under the charge of an agent, by
whom the boys are placed with the more
respectable farmers, who undertake to feed,
cloth, and educate them, and are obliged
to give satisfactory references as to chaTac-
ter, &c. by ~
Seven hundred ard nine boys were star