San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-10-25

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And one glad day Of tender lsvs
Outwsishs an age Of mourning hours.
D.M.J.
In Richmond Ind. Indsps sndent.
JOHNNY MERLRAU.
The True Story Of q Dying Newsboy's
Career-His Life Lesson Of Singular
Interest and Value.
Prom the Detroit Free Press.
Persons who have been in the hab-
it of visiting the post office or who
were frequenters of Griswold street
during the last ten years must have
observed a small newsboy whose sta
ton was at the lamp-post on the
northwest corner OF Griswold and
Larned streets on crutches, good
naturedly holding out his papers to
passers-by. Those who saw him Of
ten remarked his shrewd, kindly face,
his courteous demeanor and his soil
tariness, Though he seemed to have
little or no companionship with the
sturdy, active and noisy lads who
were his competitors in trade, they
were all fond of him, loyal to him,
and would fight for him, if need were,
on slightest provocation. Many
of them have, indeed, been known to
quietly sneak away from their own
customers to give the forlorn little
cripple O chance when business was
unpromising. They seemed to recog-
nize in him that indefinable master
ship which the gentle-helpless always
exert. Johnny Merleau (for that is
his name) had plenty Of REGULARS on
his list of customers. They were
mostly bankers, merchants, lawyers
and reporters--his regulars were
and whenever he saw one Of them
approaching he knew that sale was
certain. You could almost tell what
was in his thought by the way he
folded his paper and fshed out his
little handful of change to break
nickel or o dime if it should be nec-
essary. He seldom talked unless
spoken to, but every customer who
knew him nearly always gave him a
CHEEKY salutation, to which herespond
ed with smile that spoke his graft
tude more eloquently than could any
words he might command.
During portions of the last two or
three years he was student in one
of the commercial colleges Of the city.
He was ambitious TO fit himself for
business career. Perhaps his small
dealings with the magnates and po-
tentates of the local business world
were the inspiration of that ambition.
In any event the little chap bent all
his energies in that direction, and
soon mastered pretty good swing Mt
accounts, and became the chirograph-
ic envy Of the whole crowd Of news
BOYS. He used to look at his ficti-
tious ledger accounts himself with
commendable pride, and was always
ready, when not on duty, to discuss
banking, double and single entry
bookkeeping, discounts, premiums
and all the jargonic arcana Of the
world of business with any interested
elder. It was pleasure to those who
knew his small career to note the dig
nifed pride with which he rang the
bell of the elevator that was TO land
him at the door Of his school room,
and it is said that among the hun.
dreds of boys and young men who
were his fellow students, few had the
untiring application Of poor crippled
little Johnny Merleau.
But hope, pride in his advancing
fortunes, customers, school, the bright
sunJhine, comrades, and all the cheer,
ing and rosy things of life and earth,
real and unreal, have little signifi-
cance for Johnny Merleau now. The
slender crutches stand unused and
useless in the corner Of the hospital
ward, where the owner lies dying in
the certain knowledge that he has
done with them forever more. And
vet he salutes the shadow Of death as
courageously as he trudged along the
hard lines Of his life.
One phase Of his career should not
be left unrecorded. On November
1 s, 1874, at the age Of ii years, he
made q deposit Of 81 in q savings
bank in this city, and ever since that
time he has kept an account with that
same bank During the intervening
period he deposited in all $500, but
no one deposit Jf them all exceeded
81. On Saturday morning the cash
Ter of the bank received from him an
order in his own handwriting, 10 pay
tbebeArer 500 with which 10 pur.
chase for him q lot in Elmvood-
There vasa further order authorizing
his SISTER 10 draw at VII the balsnoe
Of his account for her own use The
balance. exclusive Of the 500 for 9
burial lot, vas at the close Of bus