Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1882-01-24

ST A
heart, rushed the youthful
soldier, his banner emblazoned "For
Mothers Sake"
FOR mothers sake" did he answer,
civilly, coarse and british questions,
allow the fangs of hunger to pierce him,
rather than use for himself his earnings,
and strive to persuade himself he was
not weary when overtaxed nature, in
clarion voice, was proclaiming her in
jured right.
This, to him, had been a more than
usually miserable day. His mother had
become far worse recently, and he had
scarcely closed his eyes In sleep for sew
eral nights.
The exacting physician declared that
vices they should be discontinued. The
thought that his mother would be with.
out medical aid was maddening to the
boy. Oh, how wildly he longed that
the proceeds of to-day's papers might
be sufficient to satisfy the physician
and prevent his neglecting his mother.
The August sun had reached its me.
ridian, the great globe was pouring
down almost streams of fire, and only
| two papers had been disposed of. How
white and exhausted he looked. Even
the lips were forsaken by every vestige
of color.
"What're you putting on all those airs
for, you deceitful puppy? Trying to
make believe you're sick, s'pose--
needy, too. I'll bet you're as well as l
am, an have got plenty of money.
What you done with all you made from
papers ?-been sellin' 'em long time:
You're tryin' to beg, amt you? Don't
beg me. I shan't help to sport you IN
lyour laziness. I've got no patience
with low down newsbOys. Hold your
head up, or I'll shake you "
The elegant did not shake him
probably be feared soiling his dainty
GLOW es-but he took the tip of his ruby
set walking-cane and raped heavily
the head, with its glory of ebony hair
the head where. in years agone, nae
rested in pride, love and blessing, tne
hands of many of earth's greatest ano
noblest. What cared he, the bankers
son, for Gaming newsboy? He mgn
have repeated the act, and the eyes o
the police would, accidentally, nav
L UCCA a1OUAOA OAAOOsAOAs - =
of suffocation came over the child
weird shapes and shadows danced be
fore his eyes, and he knew no more
The gentleman walked away, twlrilng
in apparent satisfaction, his artihclalll
dark and curled moustache.
"Git up'm here! What We doln'-
plavin' possum? Think somebody
come 'lon' an fall in love with tina
picter-lookin' beauty o. yourn, an tax
you an feed yu, an raise yu to do moth
I'm? How Oar yu take up the crossin'
an WI nothin' but ragged newsbOy
Lett up, I say, or shores my name
. Dave Brown, I'll take you to the lock
up" -.
The man was executing his threat
was half carrying, half dragging alonI
the tortured little being-when con
e seriousness returned. With wild an
! passionate eloquence he sued for releas
;|-told of his feeble, lonely mother sui
Z fering for even the comforts OF lie, an
his own was unfeigned illness. With
9 horrible oath the man released him iron
! his iron grasp, saying: IF ne eve
cutch him 'tendin' ter be SICK agin d
e knowed he was 'jis' tendinD, he'd WIS.,
% Did the bow weep? His heart was to
! near breaking. Mechanically his swol
7, len feet paced the hard, hot street
p keeping time to the despair march hi
soul was playing.
A handsomely dressed lady, accom-
J, panied by youth, were nearing him
q Nonchalantly the latter, lifting tn
boys battered cap, and staring boldly
mockingly into the fearfully white face
y said: 'sUmph! you'd make a capita
e comic valentine; I've mind to sketcl
= you"
y The lady, flushed with shame an
1t anger, exclaimed: "How could you &C
Z, so contemptuously, so cowardly, Harry
IL shall punish you severely for this
Turning to the boy, she kindly apole
10 gized for her sons behavior, and dell
le cately insisted on his taking som
T. change she held in her hand.
I. "But, mother" returned Youn
America sit does not matter much
d he's only newsboy J"
le Tears, the first in many days. course
down the pallid face. Save his mothers
:, these were the only kind words 40
Il dressed the child in, oh, so long!
!, Hope springs eternal in the hunia
is breast" ne forgot his mental and phys
% ical suffering in the hope of alleviatin
his mothers.
l'l Taking the first car The would nav
T, walked, but too much time would hav
rs been cOnsumed), he was going to hi
= mother.
III "Such nuisances should not be per
10 nitted to disgrace our city cars! Rails
l. your dress, Julia, or he might soil it
'e hateful, ragged little newsboy! TIL
red lips of two superbly dressed belle
/ curled disdainfuliy, and they drew
themselves as far away as possible iron
q the cause of their remarks, lest b
T. should contaminate them.
"Do you not see you are botherin
y these ladies, you chap? Get out ther
with the driver, and here's nickel TO
YOU"
=. The boys eyes. like artificial suns
le literally consumed the insignant wretch
q who, astounded at seeing such scorl
and pride in a newsboy, sat like on
d stupefied, holding the rejected nickel.
l. The prosecuted little one went GU
vs. with the driver; the place was crowded
IL and an evil-lOoking. soiled stripping in
l. In vain he protested he was using a
little space as possible The ruffia
= called him ''lyin' dog"
ls There was dull, heavy sound, as
an object had fallen /; sudden stoppin
I, of the car, and out on the quiet air wen
le wall in which was concentrated
whole spirits agony-a wall in whic
u was but one word, "Mother"
Upon the stony street, his heaven
q like beauty annihilated by the horses
= feet, his wild, floating locks wearin
u ''redder strains than the peoples knew,
70 lay "the bright young being"
ol fright bad. this" said one passenger
q Eyes, rather" was the rejoinder; "bu1
to tell the truth, there are SO man
II trifling, impudent shavers of his class
= I'd like to see number put out of tn
way"
It "Look here! J" exclaimed person t
a friend who sat near him. II SOY
IS that large boy push the other over.
It ibid you !" was the reply, 'well, don
mention it; he was only newsboy
. and our valuable time Nigh. be broke
q into. OF course the others think he fe
e over"
't Two men took the mangled corpse t
= its mother She smoke not Onlv san