The Portland daily press., 1882-01-31
David Davis and the Newsboy.
[From a Washington Letter.]


But enough among the post-ofice and post
Office people for the present. heard fairly
good story about Judge Davis, the other day
that will bear telling about his constituents IN
Illinois. have it from a gentleman who saw
part of it, and may say have seen the rest
The old Judge was sitting in his comfortable
armchair in the snug rooms 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-American citizenship knocked,
and then came in to sell the evening paper.
The boy was not only ragged but thinly clad,
and it was too easy to see that he had on nelth-
er shirt nor stockings, while his feet were
thrust in a pair of old summer CATERS, twice or
three times too large for him. His hair was
unkempt and his nose was all too evidently IN
need of attention. sEvenin' Star-secunedi-
tion," sung out the urchin, as he cast bust
ness look at the judge and then longing one
at the bright fire in the crate eyes" said the
Judge, slowly and good-naturedly, as he thrust
his.hand deep into his pocket after the neces-
sary nickel 81 don't care for your paper, but
I'll buy it this time, anyway" The boy gave
a long snuff to improve the respectability OF
his upper lip as much as possible, while he
held ont the paper. SCOT cold, eh?" said the
iudge. still fumbling for the nickel, and evil
IDENTIFY in no hurry to get it. "Yeser, SAID
the boy, cheerily, with another sniff. Feet
wet, eh?" said the judge, looking at the bun
dies of decayed leather in which the urchin
was standing. ''Yeser, some,, said he,
turning up one shoe. on its side and
looking with some dissatisfaction at the
long rent which had established un-
friend ly relations between sole and upper long
ago, and allowed the snow and siusn 70 enter
with perfect freedom. 'No wonder you've got
a cold, eh?" mused the judge: "Why, you've
got summer pants on-whats left OF 'em. Got
any father or mother, eh?" The boy drew his
ragged coat sleeve across the base of his nose,
by way of clearing the decks for business, ana
then in reply to the judges questions, which
were fred at him about as fast as he could an
swer them, explained that be had neither
father nor mother; that he lived with an aunt
who was married, and her husband worked ev-
cry 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 80 cents a day,
which he contributed to the family fund, and
was boarded and clothed so far as he was
clothed at all, in return, and he didn't seem 10
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 a paper. Then turning to his SER
want he directed him to take the youth out and
buy him suit of clothes complete, including
shoes, stockings and change of shirts and un-
derwear, and handkerchief, give him bath,
dress him up, and send him home; "and have
the bill brought to me-" said the judge. The
order was obeyed and in the course of an hour
they came back, and you wouldn'thave known
him. The outfit included a necktie OF very
gay pattern, and apparently selected after con,
sultation with some gentleman OF color. ana
the renovated youth evidently thought 1t 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.