Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-10-11
Only q Newsboy.

drawing.
Only Newsboy.
! "Little Bob" was colored newsboy
vino drifted into the capital of Virginia
after the close of the war He hobbled
about the city on crutches, but he was
energetic and vivacious, and, in spite
of his affection, managed to dispose of
more papers in a day than any Of his
competitors. What were his antece-
dents, how he lost the use Of his limbs,
perhaps no one gave himself the trou-
BILE to inquire. He was born in the first
tumults of war. Father perhaps he
never had known; to mothers care
he owed but little. Misshapen, ignorant,
friendless, he survived the perils of
childhood, and somehow gathered ele-
ments of character which would befit q
much higher station than that in which
Little Bob lived his few brief years. AT
ter he came to Richmond and had won
for himself a successful place in his
humble sphere, Little Bob looked about
for friend. And him he found in an
other newsboy, yet more helpless than
himself. This was "Delaware," also
had lost both legs above the knee.
These two curious little folk, the elder
not more than twelve, might be found
at all hours of the day together, and
doubtless shared the same squalid cot
at night. delaware" sold but few pa
pers, while the younger partner each
night had gathered a goodly amount Of
nickels. But delaware never suffer
ed on that account. Bob paid for his
food, and it was from Bob's little store
that the nightly lodging was secured.
Once in while the two had dra-
matte treat from the highest gallery in
the theatre, and up the stairs it was by
the aid of Bob's crutches that both
were able to climb. So the two Jared
i for several years, the ties of friend
: lship, through benefits received and
, conferred, growing closer and more
! firm as the time passed by. What
!, we're the condolences exchanged what
, he topics of discussion between this
oeformed Damon and Crippled Pythias
, Of tender years and lowly race? None
' may say for of them and their thoughts
,, theworld has not time to concern itself.
+ Blu in its way the talk of these two
mist not have been altogether base and
), deoraved For one day delaware :"
: ami Bob were bathing In the neighbor-
. iw river, and delaware" helpless got
byond his depth. No other help was
, nigh, and Bob vainly tried to save hi
). partner's life at the risk of his own.
Then he took little store Of savings
= md starved himself for week to give
= Delaware's" body a decent burial out
If the Potter's Field. Bob never got
- over tae death of his friend. Missing
! him at his side in their accus-
: toned employment, Bob gave it up
after while, and rented little stand
on the thoroughfare-a great large deal
:. . box set up on end, and furnished with
;, a scanty stock of what only the news
boy and boot-black might buy. He
! was, after his fashion, loyal to his
! state and those beloved by her, and
when Gen. Lee died, mourned
of all Virginia, Bob boarded up
the front of his box and
pinned piece of Grape and card upon
it. on which was written, "Closed in
consequence of the death of General
Robert e. Lee" But his business did
not prosper, and the town was no
longer the same as when he had a
friend to share all that belonged to
him-of sorrow and of limited JOY, and
of that little sum which the days
labor had brought. So Bob began his
wanderings again, this time into the
northern country of which he but dim
ly knew and cared. The rest is told in
a newspaper item touching crippled
negro boy who was drowned, the other
day, while bathing IN the Delaware
! where it runs by Philadelphia. The
paragraph found it's way back to Rich
mond, and the body was identified as
that of the crippled boy who went
there by the name of "Little Bob"
Thus these two lowly friends met
death after the same manner, and the
river whose waters closed over the
head of the one bore the same name
by which the other was known. This
is all. The two boys count for but lit
tie in the sum of human life, and their
story, perhaps, for less. But to some
it may appeal as bearing q moral not
altogether without it's use and effect in
this everyday world, made up In a
large part of such as these, and in its
higher circles, here and there of scme
less worthy a passing moments
/ thought. Y. World.
Pickles.
| Sharp things, arn't they ?-but chill
dren usually like them, know. Now,
how do you suppose they got their fun
ny name? It's very queer, but I'll tell
you how | found out. A droll-looking
old fellow, one of those who are always
digging out things,-from books, I
mean-sat down with young lad in
my woods the other day for good
long talk. I tell you, kept my ears
open to catch any scrap of wisdom he
might let fall; for, since I've had such
a bio circle of listeners. I have to be ON