St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-06-09
JOE,

|
JOE,
Joe and 1 are great friends. do not
Snow how our friendship came about,
nor, indeed, do I know just when we
first became acquainted. We were both
newsboys, he little one Of dozen
years, and / of 'twenty summer" as
the story-books say. He sold news
papers and I helped to write the reports
that go into them, of fires and parties
and sermons and circuses and all of the
queer things that happen in this queer
world of ours.
Joe and often met. He was an act
i've little fellow, and seemed to be
everywhere with his bundle of papers,
always calling at the top of his sturdy
little voice: .Mornin' papers! Inter
Ocean. Times, Tribune and NeUs!" He
sold them all. and though he had his
regular .. beat and regular customers
at certain hours of the day, he seemed
to find a great many odds and ends of
time, when he could dart off and sell q
few extra copies around the depots or
in front of the hotels when people were
coming down in the omnibuses and car
riages for. the early morning trains.
What first attracted me to him I do not
exactly know. There were dozens of
newsboys on the streets who seemed to
be as energetic as he, and numbers who
were better looking; for. truth to tell.
Joe is far from handsome. But his big
gray eyes were SO bright and happy,
and he had such a jaunty, pretty way
of dotfing his hat that one quite
forgot that it was ragged, or that
the eyes which shone forth so bravely
were almost the only handsome feature
Of the rugged, boyish face. As said,
we met often. / became one of Joe's
regular customers and was much
laughed at for carrying Goals into
Newcastle" as came into cur news
paper Office every day with bundle of
dailies under my arm. Joe sold the
evening papers, too, and, on my recon-
mendation, applied for and got the task
of bringing up the extra papers which
were desired by the men in our office.
They all had kind word for him when
he came in Of an evening, but Joe was
loyal to me, and though our acquaint-
ance did not for long time progress
much beyond our good-morning
and !. goodnight, - I came to feel sort
of proprietorship in the boy. fell to
saving up my odd pennies in an un-
usually economical way. Joe's thin
coat and worn breeches appealed to my
selt-denial in an unaccustomed way,
but way that am sure was good for
me. 1t is always good for any human
heart to feel care for another's welfare,
and am not sure it is not a sign OF
growth when we begin to love to do for
other people. But be sure did not
think much of all this at that time. /
helped Joe because 1 liked him. |
wheedled him into the tailors after
some coaxing, and on Christmas day
gave him a fine new suit. He was very
much pleased, but to my great surprise
resolutely refused to take the clothes as
a gift.
ssYou must tell me how much they
COST said he, land let me pay the
money back to you as soon as | can. |
need the clothes, and I would have
bought them myself, only had to give
all the money ] had saved to- He
stopped short with his face as red as
fire.
.sTo whom, Joe?" / said, kindly.
He burst into tears and put his head
down on my table, for we were alone
in my Office at the time.
He cried for about minute, big sobs
which shook him all over. ssThere,
sir, said.he, suddenly Strengthening up,
81 won't be baby any more. Don'tre-
member crying before since I really was
a baby and he brushed his sleeve across
his face. ..Well, l won't bother you
any more to-day said he, land |
know you'll let me pay for them, STRIP
half inquiringly.
.'Why, yes, if you want to, but don't
be in a hurry. Next year will do nice
1y. The whole suit was only ten dol
lars. any way"
Ten dollars! O, dear!!'' and Joe's
faced looked for a minute as though it
would not be very hard work to burst
into tears again
{ Indeed, can't afford it, = he began,
when / interrupted, taking him by the
collar and shaking him around.
.'Now stop your nonsense, you young
scamp! I'll give you till you're twenty
one to pay me the money, and I'm not
afraid to prophesy that you'll be rich
enough to make me quantities ofpresents
before that time, and I'll take them fast
enough. | won't make any such silly
fuss, ! promise you. .
So Joe took the clothes and went
away, leaving me to wonder little
about his life and his history. He had