National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-04
N;iJatinnaI gepnbIitaH
49, NEKHROY

i WIS.,
Ia sne -. ~Aar some new thin
else but either to tell or 4. -
II, after the lapse Of twenty CT
could cast his lot among the American p.-
he would find them in a vastly higher state o
civilization much further advanced In science
in art, and In literature with iron bands bind
ing continents together end tightening the hold
Of one State to another; with tiny wires ira
versiDg the earth and lying hid in the mystic
rious caTerns Of the sea, through which speet
a subtle influence, carrying words Of hope and
| cheer. of 10y or sorroW, Of peace and good viii
\ or of war and tumult, He would find the
! printing press In vigorous operation, welding
/ an influence Of which he could never have
dreamed, and pouring forthits mighty stream,
| from which millions Of thirsty souls may drink
and be satisfied.
But with It all would he find Us different IN
| oar mOre prominent traits from those Athenial
neWsBongers Of Oldi The very inventions
which have rgTolutionized the world, and
1 which are the chief glory Of the age, are made
| to minister to this love Of novelty. We have
madsthe lightning our messenger, and annihf-
lated space BY our victory over VapOr, but we
Valuet these elements chiefly because they fur
nish AZ with news. The press does, indeed,
feed our mirds with the solid pabVIum Of true
knowledge and learning; but Is iG not because
of the newspaper that we place so high an estf-
mate on its N'ondrous poEsrl The man who
never reeds aueWspaper Is q fool among wise
men; he is desert in the Aidst of yine-elad
hills and ruRHinsg rivers; he is dismal swamp
IN the land of towers; he Is hy-leaf in the
book of knowledge; blind man cropping his
way in clear sunlight; a bat, who loves dark
ness rather than light.
He who is not guilty of the Atheuian hunger
far hfpry ha r
"vaEV latest" Is nearly twenty centuries be-
hind the times and can have no part nor lot
in the great events Of this progressive age
But there Is one thing in which we differ from
those ancient Greeks; there Is one ORtgroWth
Of this desire for Hsws OF which they never had
any conception, and that is the nswsboy.
Amid the babble and tulnult Of that gossiplnp
crowd which gathered at the foot Of Mars Hin
there was heard ne sharp, shrill voice.. high
above the hum of 8 thousaGd tongues, calling
the latest edition, or the "eEsra, or the news
thirty days later from Jerusalem. The news
boy Is popularity Of the nineteenth century
BE Is the necessary result of progress Hs 4
the child of the fast steam pres, the Offspring
of electric telegraphy- The first click Of the
recording instrument called him INTO existenoe
and the revolving cylinder sustains his Hae
He has no counterpart in.aneisnt times. There
is nothing in history to..which We can Ikea
him. He is modern improvement. He be.
The newsboy is of his own. kind. he Is a hu-
man oddity, with his own marked character
istics. He is man of letters, o feeder Of the
mind. He supplies the intellectual desires OF
mankind. The soul, the immortal, eyer-liT-
ing essence, is the deity, at whose altar
he worships-and he is aware Of the fact.
He is fully conscious OF his Importance,
aCd he realizes to the fullest. extent the
high office he holds. Beneath that torn and
ragged Jacket beats heart that, thrObs faster
as each turn of the telegraph wheel
rolls out an exciting item of news The soiled
cap, thrown back from the forehead, covers
brain that teens with quick and active
thoughts; brain that is fertile with inventive
genius. Is there dispatch giving account of
some victory or defeatl With what eager
haste he seizes that much-loTed extra and
dashes into the street proclaimfng the fact
voeifereusly, In his excitement even oyerstar-
ing It sometimes-for the neWsboy Is. not nota-
bic for q strict adherence 10 truth. Exaetness
Of statement is not his peculiarly.
Veracity is an uncultivated virtue with him.
He has heard that truth lies hidden at the bot
tom Of q well, and deems the search for II
much too troublesome. His, imaginative fac
ulty is largely developed, and slight skirmish
to him assumes the importance Of great
battle, where Thousands are wounded and
slain. Sometimes he even coneeiVes the whole
thing, and viii draw a startling picture to the
terrified and nervous questiOner. who fumbles
In his pocket for the necessary pennies, or wiz
tell tale Of horror which was never sketched
in type with an earnestness that draws eustO-
mers and sells his wares. He Is sharp and
shrewd. Being small capitalist, and not de-
string to carry a heavy stock over, he VIII
sometimes inviegle you into purchasing yester-
days paper by shouting to-dsy's news.
He has large hope and small conscientious
ness. The stings Of conscience he never either
heard of or experienced. BE Is interruptions
l. l.
cheat you in the most suave manner, and with
the most tantaliZing eoolness.- he Is largely
developed as regards lung power. HeWfn call
out the names Of his papers. with. vim that
causes you to wonder at the volume of sound
compared with the diminutiYeness Of body.
He is essentially q noisy creature. Even
while sitting on the cellar steps, waiting for
the giant press to begin its literary commissions
he Is not quiet. With huge guild Of tobacco,
q grown persons dose, in his mouth, he in
dulges in loud debates with his comrades,
sometimes winding up with sparring exhibit
ton which would make a professor Of the
manly art shudder, or else singing refrain of
some questionable song In manner that shows
he is fit for treason, stratagem or spOIIs-'
Even if he has music in his soul none of iE
ever leaks into his voice.
He is a lover of the drama, and If you hand
him dime he will give you limitations Of lead
ing actors, striking tragic and heroic attitudes,
while he frequently expresses his intention TO
make "Rome howl" Or he viii show YOU
how the clown does at the circus, giving all
the old jokes and grimaces, with few flip
flaps and aerobatic feats on the awning post
thrown in. But while you talk with him the
iron monster in the cellar begins its 'elanlz,
elank, !" and the sheets that went into its nav
fair and white are laid out by the iron fingers
all covered with tiny letters.
Then you see the fire in the newsboy's eye.
Like the war-horse who scenteth the battle
afar of, he grows impatient and eager for the
fray. Now he dives into the gloomy cavern
beneath the pavement, and presently energies
with huge bundle Of papers under his arm,
followed by swarms Of his comrades, who hy
up the street with amazing velocity, shouting
the birth of another paper with more unctuous
glee than any jubilant hen ever exhibited in
cackling over new-laid egg.
He is dirty, and always wears tattered trOW-
sers. He may have heard that Cleanliness Is
next to godliness," but he thinks that dirty
shirt is not necessarily any evidence Of the un-
pardonable sin. He is ignorant Of the constit-
uent parts Of soap, and of the results flowing
from its frequent application. Shoemakers
are unknown beings to him, and tight boots
untried instruments Of torture. OF shirt col
lars he knows nothing practically, and he is
never haunted by the ghosts Of unpaid wash
erwOmen.
He has excellent intuition, and knows BIZ
is dangerous to put your fingers in your waist
coat pocket within square of him; he under
stands the movement. Pockets are to him
only so many exchequers, containing unlimited
supplies of funds, and he attacks you immedi-
ately with importunate appeals to purchase.
When his papers are sold he dissppears-
where is yet an undecided question. There
was at one time home provided for him,
where he could obtain a bed for small sum,
and In which q bank was established, where he
could deposit his earnings. But he did not
take kindly to it, preferring rather all freedom
from restraint, and 10 be the custodian Of his
own funds, while he could sleep as soandly in
a box on the pavement as in place where
"a downy pillows are" and at much smaller
cost. He, Ike all other human beings, is sub
missiye to the law of kindness, and,Win appre-
ciste what you do for him, but he steadily re-
sists any attempt to ameliorate his condition.
Some years ago party of worthy men estab-
lished experimenting for the newsboys, but
not having taste for spiritual things, they
did not attend. Then the devotiOns were
accompanied by groundnuts and ginger
bread; the appetite was baited TO catch
the soul. After this they were regular
attendants, and took much interest IN the ex-
ercises as long as the refreshments lasted.
But while they waxed fat bodily, there was
still too evident leanness Of spirit, and the
meetinQs we're discOutinued-ph fld, T1OlriT.ier.