National Republican., 1883-10-01
ST. LOUIS NEwsBoYs.
John Churchill Telling How Wen the
Chicago Uovs Treat Their Visitors.

John Churchill Telling How Wei the
Chicago Boys Trest Their Visitors.
Two worry smart newsboys called at the st.
Louis Chronicle Office and threw somo light on
their means and their manner of existence.
John Churchill acted as spokesman, though
his narrative was frequently emphasized by
remarks from his companion, John Towers.
Roth boys arc about 10, and each has resided
here most of his life. An aunt between them
is the only relative they can lay claim to.
| Said young Churchill "Yes, times arc very
bad not q bit like thoy used to be. We begin
with tho morning papers as soon as they arc
out, and work at papers and backing boots
until late at night. | sell about eighty
| copies OF the morning papers, and clear 2
cents on each. Every one knows that they
are worth the cents that wo have to pay for
them, but it is an evening paper that cuts us.
| We can't 1.-Two on the morning work alone, so
we havo to sell the evening papers, and on one
class of thom we get caught We can't buy at
| 3 cents and make n living when the ollico sells
to the carriers ut 1 or H. cents. We used to
mako money selling together, but If wo arc
seen with Chronicle we get driven away from
| the other Office, often got slugged rs well. 1t
is all arranged, and it looks as if We should
soon have to do as well as We can with half q
days work, as IL won't pay us to sell when
we are at such disadvantage with the car
riers. You wait and SEQ how it will be aftor
fair week. We all have to stay here for that
rs we can live on IL Tor weeks. You see boy
that will work makes So each day of the fair,
excepting Tuesday when he will get as high
as $l2 on account of tho procession. He
makes this down town, aud by both papers
aud backing"
Are there many moro boys working here
during fair week 2"
| hntt how tnly t1,r ,boo
and lots come here from Chicago and other
towns. mol We don't put it on the outsiders.
We all got enough and let the Chicago boys do
the best they can. Why, when we go to Chi
cago the boys there always treat us well and
help us along, so we do the Same for them.
Besides, lots of us go gaming down south after
ward"
What are the pogics' spoken of yester-
day2"
"Why, they are the big Chicago lot. We
call them them the.'dirty Dozen" There's
Hoppy Nlillet, an Leggy, an Fennel. Peggy,
an Walt Schofield, Connolly, Easy Shave an
others. BOBBY Mike Welch an Tom Riley,
the dead man, have been here two weeks al
ready. BOBBY wanted change of air as he had
just done 50 worth in the Chicago bridewell,
and Tom Riley comes hero to save money.
You SEQ ho never eats or sleeps here, but just
lives on st. Louis smoke. How do we live?
Well, were tony, we are. There's five Of us
has q room on Pine, between Eighth and
Ninth. It's slap-up, too! We've two double
beds and lots of furniture. We each pay 10
cents day for the lodgings We amt al
lowed in before Z at night and have to leave
at in the morning, but it's bully there.
Tho boys ought to have u good newsboys'
; home, but for that thief, Gorkey Pete, who
, spoilt it all and made the people drop us,
Where do we eat2 Well, we all live out. A
lot of us go to Winstanleys. We used to eat
at John Getz's, just round the corner there.
That was u place! Soup an beans, an hash
an liver an cabbage, an oatmeal, for 10
cents"
"Do you try to cat at regular hours"
"No; when Pve got dime get my grub
/ had nine meals day before yesterday, and
D generally manage TO get three. We help each
. other out when down on our luck"
Been to schoOlW
'Why yes both of us were at school ten
years ago, an almost all the ST. Louis boys
can read an write, an its bad for 'em, fol
? they spends money in novels an reads em on
Q the steps instead of tending to business. The
a Chicago fellers and the others hasn't as much
learnin' as the boys here"
"What makes boys take to your work ?'
"Why, most begins by bumming from
Q school, and then gets talkin' together
~ They hears o Teller tell of tho fine times III
has on the road, wot a lot O. lives he's save,
from fires, wot q lot of horses he's rode, an,
wot power of circuses he's seen, and thei
n | ihoy gov p'oooh anu uosih' ~ " soou hie
. though, all summer, all the same. A feller'
got no boss and does just as he likes"
"What do you do after fair?'
"Why, 20 to New Orleans. I've beaten my
=, way there two years and shall go there every
winter. It's bully newspaper town, too
and lots of us will be there for the cotton ex
= position. We get down on the tops of cars OF
l hidden in them or under. The conductors
e can't catch us. No. I've mover been by boat
When foller gets by boat down the river hi
can sue for deckhand wages, and SO the boa
!. people are very particular not to let any ont
beat their way down, and besides it takes to-
long. Ia tai"