St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-09-09
NewsbOys' Excursion.

newsboys and bOOt-blacks of New
York, many of whom ply the double
vocation of selling newspapers and
''shining up" the boots of pedestrian
customers. The occasion was the
fourth of the yearly excursions provid-
ed for them by the philanthrOpic Mr..
John H. Starin. The newsbOy's life is
not happy lot in general, although he
takes it easy, and, like Mark Tapley,
is always disposed to be jolly under
the most depressing circumstances.
Bright, eager, full of mischief and good
humor, always ready for frolic or
row, quick in repartee, he is an exact
opposite of the country lad, and in
ninety cases out of hundred the
New York gamin would rather fight
for a precariOus living amongst the ex
elements of city life than accept what
he would consider the humdrum exist
ence of the farmers boy.
But he has keen appreciation of
the delights of n big free excursion
which takes him into the country for n
day, and brings him back to his accus-
toned haunts at night. Early on the
morning of the day fixed for Mr.. Star
ms picnic the boys began to gather on
Pier 10, North river, where the barge
John Nelson, towed by the steamer
| Blackbird, was to take them on board.
| 1t was not long before the crowd swell
ed to more than a thousand boys,
all eager and excited. There was
something pathetic in their very jolli
ty. From cellars and attics, from i'm
prOvised lodgings among ash-barrels
or in vacant lots, they had swarmed to
| the pier, many of them breakfastless,
vet all wearing an eager and excited
| look. Most of them had made an eX-
ira toilet in honor of the occasion, to
the extent of washing faces and hands.
But there was hardly II sound garment
in the crowd, and many of the poor
little urchins were clad in tatters that
seemed ready to drop apart at the least
prOvOcatiOn. 1t was painful to study
their faces. Bright and sharp, and in
many full of youthful color, most of
their cOuntenances wore an expression
of care and hard experience, of cum
ming and premature shrewdness, telling
Il tale of Il homeless and friendless life.
A chain was drawn across the en-
trance to the pier, and several police
men were stationed there to keep back
the surging crowd of tatterdemaliOns
until the hour came for their admit
lance to the barge. 1t required all
| their efforts to restrain the Impotence
of the youngsters. Many irreverent
remarks were addressed to the blue
coated guardians of the chain. "Oh,
say, Gully, give Teller a show" calls
out bright-eyed lad from a safe place
in the crowd, beyond the reach of the
officers rattan; 'there amt no use
Dustin round with that club o. yourn.
Give us boost, fellers." The crowd
behind him surges forward at his call,
and the chain barely suffices to hold its
own. Then the officers sally forth,
and ply their rattans in a lively man
ner but as only the front ranks suffer
from the infection, the loiterers in the
rear Immediately close up, and the mis-
| chief and fun commence anew.
Passing market wagons now and
then effect a diversion. Space is clear
ed for them by the police, and as they
are driven by, a thousand voices open
in full cry upon them "Sling us a
sandwich, boss !" "Jest drop a few o.
them turkey bOnesn "Keep a wing
for me, and lots o. stuffin' :" Without
deigning any reply to these vOciferOus
requests, the drivers of the market
wagons pass on, and the boys resume
their bantering attentions to the police
men.
At length the steamer and barge ap-
pear at the end of the dock, and the
youngsters are admitted through mar
row passageway between cases of mer-
chandise, along which they are COM
PEELED to go in single file. As he pass
es the provision wagons each lad re-
ceives a paper bag containing half a
pie, cake, and two sandwiches. Some
of the young Tascals, determined to
have a square meal for once, after get
ting aboard of the barge, hide their
packages in mysterious parts of their
clothing, jump on the pier, and join
the hungry procession again. 1t is
difficult to distinguish one little raga-
muffin from another, and many of them
acquire a double supply of rations by
this ruse. There is such a roar of
voices, such a surging and struggling
amongst the crowd, that the utmost
vigilance is required, and in many
cases without success, to detect these
shrewd pluralists.
At length, after a delay that taxed
the patience of the boys to the utmost.
the lines were cast off, and the barge,
with its load ofrOaring, rollicking boys,
was towed into the stream. Music was
furnished by a military band, and the
director displayed great judgment in
the selection of tunes. "Mary Ann, III
tell your Ma" empty is the Cradle, +"
Golden Slippers" and many of the
street ditties with which every news
boy and boot black in New York is IA
miliar, were received with hilarious APP
plause. At times the boys Joined in
with chorus of a thousand voices,
which added to the volume of the mu-
sic, if it didn't increase the harmony.
We are sorry to say that the trip was
not altogether peace jubilee. There
were many rows and quarrels, which
the officers were unable to prevent, but
/ no bones were broken, and the only Sc