The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-08-18
The Story of Two Colored Boot Blacks, Da-
mon and Pythias.

| HUI anu y lHldS.
| From the New York World.
Little Bob" was colOred newsboy
who drifted into the capital of Virginia
after the close Of the war. He hob
| bled about the city on crutches, but he
was energetic and yivacious, and, in
spite of his affection, managed to dis
pose of more papers in a day than any
three of his competitors. What were
his antecedents, how he lost the'use of
his limbs, perhaps no one gave himself
the trouble to inquire. He was born
in the first tumults of war. Father
| perhaps he never had known ; to a
mothers care he owed little. Mis-
shapen, friendless, ignorant, he sur
vived the perils of CHI ildhood, and
somehow, gathered elements of char
acter which would beft much high
er station than that in which Little
| Bob lived his few brief years. After
| he came to Richmond and had won for
himself successful place in his hum
| BILE sphere. Little Bob looked about for
a friend. And him he found in another
newsboy, yet more helpless than him
self. This was "Delaware,' also col
ored, but older than Bob, and who 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 days together, and
doubtless shared the same squalid cot
at night.
delaware" said but few papers,
while the younger partner each night
had gathered a goodly amount of
nickels. But delaware" never Suf-
fered on that account. Bob paid for
his food, and it was from Bob's little
store that the nightly lodging was Sc
cured. Once in while the two had
dramatic treat from the highest gal
lery 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 for several years, the ties
of friendship, through benefits re-
ceived and conferred, growing closer
and more firm as the time passed by.
What were the condolences exchanged
what were the topics of discussion
between this deformed Damon and
crippled Pythias of tender years and
| lOWly race! None may say, for them
and their thoughts the world has not
/
the talk of these two must not have
been altogether base and depraved.
For, one day delaware" and Bob
were bathing in the neighboring river
and delaware" helpless, got beyond
his depth. No other help was nigh,
and Bob vainly tried to save his part
ner's life at the risk of his own. Then
he took little store of savings and
starved himself for a week to give
| delaware" body decent burial out
of the Potter'S field. Bob never got
over the death Of his friend. Missing
him at his side in their accustomed
employment. Bob gave it up after
while and rented a little stand on the
thoroughfare- large deadlock set up
on end, and furnished with a scanty
stock of what only the neWsbOy and
bootblack 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 writ
ten: 'Closed in consequence of the
death of Gen. Robert f. Lee. But
his business did not prosper, and the
town was 10 longer the same as when
he had friend to share all that be-
longed to him-of sorrow and of limit
ed JOY, and of that little sum which
the days labor had brought. So Bob
began his wanderings again, this time
into that northern country OF which
he but dimly knew and cared. The
rest is told in a newspaper item touch
ing a crippled negro boy who was
drowned the other day while bathing
in the Delaware where it runs by
Philadelphia. The paragraph went
back to Richmond, and the body was
identified as that of the crippled boy
who went there by the name of Lit
tie Bob Thus these two loWly
friends met death after the same man
ner, 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
r. In