The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-09-13
The Lifo Of IL Ne,ysboy.

'I'm stuck with all these papers. Won't
you please buy onc2" The speaker was a
bright-eyed boy whose age, Judging from
his size might he guessed as not more than
ten years. Still, even under the light of a
street lamp, lines of premature age could
be seen upon his pinchcd features His
attire was that of the street Arab; papta-
looms sustained by one suspcndcr, torn
wooden shirt, and a brlmless cap.
"What keeps you out 50 latc2"
~ would have been abcd hours ago
only | lost dollar and thlrty-flvo cents,
all that had earned during the day, and
l could not go home without some mouey,
so had to buy new lot of papers and 20
On selling"
81 suppose you lost your money pitch
ing pcpnlcs?"
"Not much" the gamin responded with
traces of injured innocence in his tone.
You don't catch me gambling. I've
stood and watched the boys pitching pen
nies, and made up mind that nobody but
them what's got plenty of money ought to
gamble. could not afford to lose a cent,
so you don't see me gambling. l don't
want even to know how"
"llow much money can you earn a
day2"
''That depends Oh the luck. generally
manage to take about dollar nome with
me every night. You see I'vc got a mother
and four young brothers TO look after. 1t
takes oil can earn to keep them going.
1t was good times just after the President
was shot. l made nearly two dollars one
day" "Does not your mother do any
thing to support the jamlly2"
"Not much. Sometimes | have to get
up in the morning and get the breakfast
for the kids before 80 70 work. They
are pile Of trouble to NE, and it takes all
that we can make to keep them at school.
After school hours they 60 out and sell pa
pcrs. They can't make much, but every little
helps. We manage to keep them at school,
and they'll know how good that Is when
they get as old as an. had no chance
TO 20 to school,"
you2'
"Chl ! can read and write and count
better than they can now, but I taught
myself. What l learned was by hearing
them going over their lessons. That is, [
learned to read that way. AS soon as
got start the rest Of it came easy"
81 think | saw YOU at MIR. Child's din
ncr on the Fourth of July. Did you en-
joy it?'
''YOu bet did. A boy stole nv ticket
before we got Oh the train and came near
getting left, but the grcy-whiskcrcd gentle
man who bosscd the excursion made it ell
right. Then l got seat at the table
alongside the fcller that stole my ticket,
and gobbled his cake to get square with
him, You bet wasn't going to get left.
We were having frstra,e time and had
just got to the strawberry ice. cream when
the news came that the President was dead
and the afternoon papers were getting out
extras. just took one spoonful of ice
cream, made sure of my car ticket, and
got down town as quick as | could. It
was business with me, and 1 scoopcd in a
dollar and half. 1t amt often that y.Sh
get such a chance to make money on the
Fourth.'
"What do you expect to do for living
When you get Older 2"
6 If il wasn't for the brats Pd go into a
printing office and work my way up there.
They pay boys so little that | can't afford
to do that until the-youngslcrs arc better
able to look out for themselves. In year
or two I'll be able to tiX that up"