The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-02-11
A Returned strcet-Boy,s speech.

The newsboys at the well.knOwn'
''lodge" in New Chambers street, New
York, were much impressed by the APP
pearance there at the usual Sunday
evening meeting of well-dressed young
gentleman, who was introduced as "a for
mer street-boy from the Fourth ward,
sent to the West by the Children's Aid
Society," After some preliminary re-.
marks by the young gentleman, Of . gen.
eral moral nature, which were not appre-
ciated, he said: ''Boys, was just like
you once. My father was 'longshore-
man, and he lived down in q cellar in
Roosevelt street, and have been there.
but | cannot find my people or the house.
used to loaf about the streets, and stole
lead from the roofs and took it to the
pawnbroker S, and with the money
I got ten cent ticket for the
''Old Bowery." 1t isn't where the Bow
cry Theatre is now, fer that was about
eighteen years ago. made my meals of
from the ears Of corn which the people
threw away, when they bought them from
an old colored woman who kept q stand.
in front of the theatre. Sometimes
stole things from the stands. When il
came night would turn in in box. and
one winter night was Struggled up IN
box and nearly fioze. Here much HI.
larity among the boys, as if at familiar
experience. TIE fact was, was grew
ing up thief and vagabond, and my
parents weren't of much good to me
When my father came home ct midnight
dI INK, he used to beat me black and blue
with the end of his strap (he was long.
shoreman), and strike my mother unit
she foamed at the mouth. At this nsr.
rat,ve Of domestic experiences there WA
kind of sinking Of eyes and head
among the boys as though they knew
only too much of such scenes. So ]
took to the streets, and never went home
should soon have been Oh
Black wells Island OF Sing Sing. If thu
Childrcn's Aid people hadn't found ma
and sent me west. remember went
out in party Of about thirty, and wa
the worst of the whole. SO that was tn.
last one taken by the farmers when they
chose US. My employer-this was in In
diana-was large farmer and go0s
man. lie put me right at school in tn
winter, and he gave me q calf and pig
and tell you boys, it's fun to sit befors
big wood fire at night and roast youI
apples and hear the people talk. and know
your calf is growing in the barn and viii
soon be a COW, which you can sell ant
make some money. kept my stock ann
sold them, and turned over money in ON
way or another; and studies
hard at school, and by am
| by taught school mysel
in winter, and at last. had three hundres
dollars saved. So told my employer !.
wanted to 60 to Yale College and stud.
for the ministry. He advised me agains
it, and said he would give me farm
forty acres if would (stay. But | ssil
no, and went on, and have worked m,
way through in enc way and another
Sometimes rang the bell, and someti.ne
! did jobs; this summer sawed wood 70
eleven hours day, and earned some
thing. Now am studying for the min
istry in this city. Now, boys, my advic
to you is not to be content with being o.
the street always. Try for somethin,
else than being boot blacks and newsboyf
and see if you can't make mon Of your
selves A storm Of applause followed
and various sharp little rovcrs appeare,-
at the office in Fourth strest next day 3
go West.