Morning journal and courier., 1882-01-24
David Davis and the NeyvsbOy.

But enough about the postoffice and post office people for the present I heard fair ly good story about Judge Davis, the other day, that will bear telling among his consti- tuents in Illinois, I have it from gentleman who saw part of it, and I may say I have seen the rest. The old judge was sitting in his comfortable arm chair in the snug roons he occupies at the National hotel one of those sloppy, slushy days early in the week, when young, ragged, and, if truth must be told, rather soiled specimen of embryo Irish-Amerl- can citizenship knocked, and then came in to sell the evening paper. The boy was not only raggedly but thinly clad, and it was too easy | to see that he had on neither shirt nor stock \ ings, while his feet, were thrust in pair of | old summer gaiters, twice or three times too | large for him. His hair was unkempt and
 his nose was all too evidently in need of at- ] tention. ''E'Ue1oia1' St0r-secundition, " sung out the urchin, as he cast a business look at \ the judge and then 8 longing one at the
 bright fire in the grate. '''Y-e-s," said the judge, slowly and good-naturedly, as he ! thrust his hand deep into his pocket after ! paper, but I'll buy it this time anyway '
 The boy gave long snuff, to improve the | responsibility of his upper lip as much aG possible, while he held out the paper. 'Got
 cold, eh ?" said the judge, still fumbling for the nickel, and evidently in no hurry to ! get it. FYeser," said the boy, cheerily, with another sniff. Feet wet, eh ?" said the judge, I looking at the bundles of decayed leather in which the urchin was standing. ''Yessr, l some," said he, turning up one shoe on it's | side and looking with some dissatisfaction at 1 the long rent which had established unfriend- | ly relations between sole and upper long ago, and allowed the snow and slush to enter with perfect freedom. ''No wonder you've got a | cold, eh ?" unused the judge. ''Why, you've | got summer pants on-what's left of lem. Got any father or mother, eh p The boy 1 drew his ragged coat-sleeve across the base of his nose, by way of clearing the decks for business, and then in reply to the judges questions, which were fired at him about as fast as he could answer them, explained that he had neither father nor mother that he lived with an aunt who was married, and her husband worked every day he had plenty to eat, he thought and his aunt dressed him as we'll as she could, he guessed, as she wasn't any too well off in the world. He earned from 20 to 30 cents day, which he contri buted to the family fund, and was boarded and clothed, so far as he was clothed at all, in return and he didn't seem to think he was badly off in life By the time he had got through with the examination the judge had fished out the long-sought nickel and bought paper. Then turning to his servant be directed him to take the youth out and buy him 8 suit of clothes complete, including shoes, stockings, and change of shirts and 1 underwear, and handkerchief, give him 8 bath, dress him up, and send him home ;
 land have the bill brought to me" said the judge. The order was obeyed and in the 1 course of an hour they came back and you wouldn't have known him. The outfit includ- ed necktie of very gay pattern, and appar- ently selected after consultation with some gentlemen of color, and the renovated youth evidently thought it the best part of the suit Feel better, now, eh ?' inquired the judge
 the inevitable ''eh" being never forgotten The surprised kid admitted that he did, and went away happy. If the judge lives to run for president, that boy will carry his ward or there will be many sore heads and broken noses in it.