Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1882-01-27
The Little News Boy.


: ing woman said to brother jonr.
nalist who was furnishing cold snpper
with me lately, 'ihat iaundress who
inst went ont. after bringing my
clothes home from the washl'
"Your definition is a very good one,
replied my friend Dali. ''She looks fat
comfortable, and | should judge she
weighed one hundred and eighty
pounds Is she a widow:
Yes"
We'll she a bonnie-looking. healthy
kindly looking woman, but | hope you
are not Bohemian enough to have any
idea OF marrying her. replied my
friend Dali
laughed loud and hearty, and hen.
as the memories OF my first meeting
with my honest old laundress came into
nv mind, | became silent and thought
inl, The further my memory went
baclt n connection with good Mrs. Mer-
RAM the more it was hedged with
thorns.
Al last Dali, seeing me musing. said !:
! OLD boy. your grog is unfasted, and
your thinking abont something pain
fu. I'm sorry II made loke that
burt ysu-ie Jet Us change the subject
Are you gong to see the small yachts
race on Saturday?
NV dear Dali, answered, most
emphatically shall ! refrain from wit
Messing the lilirutian plungers cavoit
around onr Gay Saturday. and have to
remark. in addition, that there is no
necessity 20 change the subject But
if you will hoist up your interminable
cruel appendages on to the table. and
get outside OF that groe and blow
cloud. | will tell yeu the washerwo-
mans story
One act or three es.'' asked Dali; he
cause have to report meeting Of the
Pecksniffs at p. m. who are gong to
try the sexton ON charge of heresy-
guilty Of taking snuff and sneezing dur
ing the benediction. believe.
Dali IS nothing II net absurd. but he
put is legs upon fne table and re-
tortsl:
Fire away, old six-foot- t-ot-mise-y,
ard make 1t short, and | did. But
Dal! is lncorrigibe. and Just as was
beginning: "About four years ago
he interrupted with
Say, drink your toddy. know tins
yarn is an Internal lie, but if you swal-
low about three ounces OF alcohol, |
have always noticed vou talk 50 much
more pleasantly.
So | emptled my glass and COM
menced:
About four years ago, when was
on the local staff of the Post, was
standing chatting with the herculean
cashier, Blackburn when tiny little
bog. much emaciated, came in and
bought ten papers at the regular news
bov' : rates
He must haye disposed of them very
quickly. for he came in again and again.
until calculated that he must have
disposed ofat least nifty papers.
That's smart boy, / remarked to
the cashier: he must have made rearly
dollar and Il half in the last honr'
Yes replied that official. thought
fully: But I sometimes have TO trust
him fer papers There's something
wrong with him. See how thin he
is. Guess he's forced to sell papers. and
has a father who takes every cent away
from him.
Shouldn't wonder, / answered,
THESE little street fellows have tough
road to travel and Just as | spoke |
heard the shrill, weak little voice pip
ing outside the counter. Ten more
papers, please.
1 left the office, Dali, and went round |
to a saloon on Clay street to get a cock
tail before going home: but | couldn't |
get tie idea of that little newsboy out |
of my head, and although party of us
We're chatting over the election and a |
dozen subjects interesting to newspaper
men. that little boys face still stood in
the back ground of my minds reiiec-
tons.
"All OF Il sudden, while we were
laughing at one Of little Is Jokes. |
| heard the tiny voice and saw the boy
again, with his lips all punched and
locking winter than ever.
This time | was determined TO find
out something about him. |
He was watching his opportunity,
and When he saw the bar-keeper at
leisure he pulled his coat timidly. and
heard HIM say:
Please, Alfred, give me glass OF
water and cracker
"Ihe klnd-hearted bar-keeper, Dali,
gave him some bread and cheese, some
water with raspberry syrup in it. and
added:
'''PitcI in. little 'nn. How's vonr
mother?'
Worse. was the little croak from
the bundle of homes: but I'm bully, you
bet: and | sold fifty-seyen papers to-
night, and took the MONEY home. Bet
your sweet life, mother was pleased.