The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-04-23
BOYS o WYOMING.

in the Overcr0wded cities OF tine east
He numbers thousands, and lives in {
way a: once wonderful and mysterious
How he manages TO exc out a regular
living, is growing to be the eight
wonder of the world. He comes from
nowhere, apparently. Has a confused
notion Of being suddenly injected int
the world for some inscrutable reason
which is the enigma of his life. Lik,
Topsy he believes he ''never was born;'
he "growed." Why he growed at all,
he endeavors constantly to find out,
hence he is often found delving into al
sorts of mischief and petty misdemean.
ors. II he finds himself a success in
hiding his acts, he begins to think him
self destined for a career Of crime, and
on the threshold of manhood may
launch boldly into wrong doing. Think
ing detection impossible, and great re-
wards certain, he commences ''busi-
ness, with a zeal born Of the gains
which imagination piles up before his
enraptured vision. There are thous-
ands of criminals made in the east and
in most large cities Of the country.
They are not depraved by nature. On
the contrary they are boys of good
/ spirit. Crime is engrafted upon them
by their method of life and the compan-
| ionship of those older in experience and
in wrong doing. When rescued at an
| early age these boys have proved them
selves to be honest and ambitious, apt
and valuable.
A case in point: A short time since
a sum of money was left by a benovo-
lent lady to the care of Whitelaw Reid,
editor of the New York Tribune, to be
expended by him as he deemed best in
the cause of philanthropy. Mr.. Reid
conferred with the Children's Aid So
ciety, of New York city, and he at
once determined upon giving G fleet to
the advice of his great predecessor, by
sending a delegation of boys west. The
first installment was sent to Fort Scott,
Kansas. 1t is interesting to know how
the lads were received. Wequote from
the Fort Scott Monitor:
"Of the thirty-three boys of various
ages from three or four to sixteen years
of age, within t%wenty-six hours from
the time the first were offered all were
taken, and had the number been double
what it was, we believe they swould
have been taken within three days.
The demand was slow at the start, but
at 2 O'Clock p. m. it was at fever heat.
The ladies caught the mania, and be-
sieged their husbands to take one.
Those that had boys wanted more, and
| those that had none were determined to
be like their more fortunate neighbors.
| Old maids and old bachelors held off
until they began to grow scarce, when
they, too, caught the mania. Men who
told their wives about it on their re-
turn to their homes, were sent back the
next day, aud ladies' who came and saw
them went home to lay siege to their
husbands, and they who have read of
the siege of Troy, may conceive of the
excitement and the result. The court
house is still besieged; it is almost
equal to the scalp law. For heavens
sake Mr.. Editor, say we are out of
boysl One lady besought us to see her
husband and ask him to take q boy,
and before we could interview him,
some rival had gobbled him."
1t is evident from the above that boys
are in great demand in Kansas. 1t is
evident to everybody who lives in the
west that they are demanded all over
these broad domains.
What has been SO successful in Kan
sas can be made a success in Wyoming.
When it is seen and known by philan'
thropical people in the east that the
struggling youths can be placed, al
small expense, in good homes any
where in the broad west, they will di'
vert much of their donations into
transportation fund. They will find
many advantages in assisting all boy:
westward who want to come-and what
boy does not bound at the thought Of
the westP In the first place the boy.
themselves will be better off. They
will get good comfortable homes and bt
taught the uses of Industry. They will
become self supporting, and the burden
on charity will of course be that mucl
relieved. Less criminals will be fount
in the next generation, and therefor'
less misery. Less charity will be need
ed. In fact, every point, in either
social or financial bearing, is in favot
of the plan.
Wyoming would welcome the coming
of young boys as Kansas has done, an
provide them with homes as good ant
true as Kansas can possibly afford
Our people are hospitable and intelli
gent. They come from the best classe
of the several states, and have heart
large and warm as a natural result
We wouldn't hazard an estimate on tn
number of youths the territory would
absorb with profit, but no society no
individuals need fear to send out tn
young immigrants by the hundred l.
this most healthful and grand climate
And they al tell the boys that the
may walk right boldly into the affec
tions of the kindest of people, who ar
not only anxious for them but are abb
to maintain them as boys should be