The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-05-06
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[From Harper's Magazine.l
THE NEYSBOY's DEDT.
iBT MISS II. R. HUDSON.

As ragged as boy could be,
With half a;oap, with one good shoe;
Just patches to- keep out the wind
know the wind blew keenly too:
A newsboy, with anewsboy's lungs,
A square Scotch face, an honest brow,
And eyes that liked r. smile SO we'll u.
They had not yet forgotten hcsA
A newsboy, hawking his last sheets
! With loud persistence. Now and then
Stopping>to beat his stiffaned hands,
! And trudging bravely on again.
Dodginr about among the crowd, gl!
Shouting his Extras" DER and DER;
Pausing by whiles to cheat the wind
! Within some alley. by some door. ss4s
Eat last he stopped-six papers left,
Tucked hopelessly beneath his arm
To eye fru uterers outspread store:
| ? Here products from some country farm, 4
! -. ar ar.T--. -f.s~E..' e-sa.# -.a1 I
| And there confections, all adorned
With wreathed and clustered leaves and flow
ers, ,-.-' -a r.i .a , %"
While little founts. like frosted spires,
Tossed up and down their mimic showers.
He stood and gazed with wistfnl face,
All cSild's longing in his eyes;
Then started, as touched his arm.
And turned in quick, mechanic wise,
fa;scd his torn cap with purple hands,
Said ''Paners Sir2 Wortd Herald, Tines,
And brushed away a freezing tear
Tka - orl,x,d bis chenk pyih hh frosty rlrOes
allow MANY have you? Never mind
Don't stop to count--T'll take them all;
And when you pass my office here. f'ggT
With stock on ha d, give me a call"
H4 thahesd uit with a broad Scotch smile,
A look half wondering aud half glad.
fumbled for the proper "ceange'"
And said, "You seem little I'D
"To rough it in the streets like this"
"rm ten years old this Christmas-time!"
"Your name7" Jim Eanley." Here's
I've nothing else, but this one dime
"Fiye dollars. When yougget it changed 2
Now wait bt, there's time enough:
You need not run q hsadlong race.
"where do you live'" "Most any where.
We hired a stable loft to- day.
Me and two Others" land you thought
The fruiterer's window pretty, hey!
Or were you hungry" "Just bit"
BE answered, bravely as he might.
81 couldn't buya breakfast, Sir, 81
Aud had no money left last night"
"And you are soldi" iAy, Just bit.
don't mind cold" "Why, that is strange!
He smiled, aud pulled his ragged cap,
And darted of to get the change"
So, with half-unconscious sigh,
sought my Office desk again:
An hour or more my busy wits
Found work enough with book and pen.
Bat when the mantel clock struck. fiva -,i
started with a sudden thought,
For there beside my hat and cloak
Lay these six papers had bought.
"Why, where's the boy' and where's tn
change
He should have brought an hour sgos
All, weln ah, well! they're all alike!
Twas fool to tempt him so.
"Dishonestl Well, might have known;
And yet his face seemed candid, too.
He would have earned the differences
If he had brought me what was dae.
-nA E@ AT.F.iET 2EgE
"But caution often comes too late"
AND so took my homeward way,
peeming distrust of human kind
The only lesson of the day;
Just two days later, as sat,
Half-dozing, in my ,ofice, chair.
heard timid knock, and called, {,
In my brusque fashion, "Who is there'"
Au urchfn entered, barely Seven--
sThe same Scotch face. the same blue eyes
And stood, half doubtful at the door, zeh
Abashed at my forbidding guise.
aSir. if You please, my brother jim
-. The one you give the bill, you know
He oouLin't bring the money, Sir
Because his back was hurted so.
aHs didn't mean to keep the changer Z
He got runned over, up the street;
One wheel vent right across his back,
And t'other forewhsel mashed his feet.
~ sJHs ,cse ara ezE
"They stopped the horses just in time,
! ; Aud then they took him up tor dead,
And all. that day and yesterday
he wasn't rightly. ID his hoxl.
| -DSSa ssifsGBs}RtEe -2D2G1 lt2r
"They toak him to the hospitai--R
One ofsths newsboYs knew twas jim
And went too, because. you see,
4, We two aresprothsrs, and shim.s 81 >
"He had that money in his hand,
And never saw it any more,
| Indeed, he didn't mean to steall
He never lost cent before
He was afraid that you might think
| 3 He meant to keep it any way,
This morning, when they brought him to,
He cried because he couldn't pay.
.'Hs made me fetch his jacket here;
It's torn and dirtied pretty bad;
It's only fit to sell ftr rags, a.lrrsL o.
But then. you know. it's all be had!
Nv hen he gets well-it won't be long
! If you will call the money lent,
He says he'll work his fingers of
But what he II pay you every cent"
And then he cast a rueful glance 4a.r
AT the soiled Jacket where it lay.
ID mo, no, my boy! Take back the coat.
Your broth er's badly hurt, you say!
"Where did they take him' Just run out
And hail cab, then wait for we.
Why I would give a Thousand coats,
And pounds, for such boy as hel"
A half hour after this we stood
Together in the crowded wards.
And the nurse checked the hasty steps
I That fell too loudly on the boards.
Ithorght him smiling in his sleep,
And scarce believed her when she said,
Smoothing away the tangled hair n. = -.
From brow and cheek, The boy is dead"
b. tai 81 glix .ia.ae1aa .s74uH
4 Deadf dead so,soon? How fair he looked!