Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-06-08
JOE

first became acquainted. We were both
newsboys, he a little one of dozen
years, and L of twenty summers as
the story-books say. He sold news
papers and 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 l 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 Ne,csr' He
sold them all, and though he had his
regular beat" and regular customers
at certain hours of the day, he seemed
to find great many odds and ends of
time, when he could dart off and sell a
few extra copies around the depots or
in front of the hotels when people were
coming down in thepmnibuses and car
riages for the early morning trains.
What first attracted me to him 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 jaunty, pretty way
of dOffing 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 l said,
we met often. became one of Joe $
regular customers and was much
laughed at for carrying Goals into
Newcastle as | came into our news
paper office every day with bundle of
dallles 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 a 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 'gOod-night,n / came to feel a sort
of proprietorship in the boy | fell to
saving up my odd pennies in an I'M
usually economical way. Joe's thin
coat and worn breeches appealed to my
selt-denial in an maccustomed way.
but way that l 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 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 l liked him.
wheedled him into the tailor's after
some coaxing, and on Christmas day /
gave him a fine new suit. He was very
much pleased, hlt to my great surprise
resolutely refused to take the clothes as
a gift
You 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 l 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.
g To 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.
lie cried for about n minute, big sobs
which shook him all over ''There,
sir, said,h suddenly Strengthening up,
81 won't be baby any more. Don t re-
member crying before since really was
9baby, and he brushed his sleeve across
Mis- face. well, / won't bother you
any more to-day" said he, land
know you'll let me pay for them, sirP'
half inquiringly.
be in hurry. Next year will do nice
ly. The whole suit was only ten dol
lars. any way"
sFTan dollarcf n doo-i,' OIL tt.
faced looked for 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 your twenty
one to pay me the money, and I'm not
afraid to prophesy that you'll be rich
enough to make me quantities of presents
before that time, and I'll take them fast
enough. / won't make any such silly
fuss, L promise YOU
SO Joe took the clothes and went
away, leaving me to wonder little
about his life and his history. He had
always been very reticent, and some
way had always hesitated about ask
ing him. He seemed to command the
same delicacy of treatment that one
usually exercises only toward an older
man.
Not long after saw Joe in his home.
1t was bitter winter night, and / was |
sent by my office over into one of the |
poorest wards of the city to inquire into |
the particulars of case of wife-beating |
which had been reported at police |
headquarters as one of peculiar Sc |
verify:
10 my surprise, in answer to my rap |
the door was opened by joe He seized |
my hand and drew me inside.
20, l thought you would come" he |
cried. ''What can we do for her?''
and with Joe still leading me, went |
into the miserable room where his poor
mother was lying. / had never seen |
any one die, but | knew she was dying. |
Joe seemed to realize it, too, for the |
first time, as he looked at her, and |
springing forward with heart-broken /
cry, he knelt down beside her. She |
smiled and patted his hand
God will be good to my son, were her |
last words. l telephoned for another
man to come and gather the facts nee
essary to be published, and 1 devoted |
myself to Joe. A doctor who had been
sent for arrived soon after 1 did, but it |
was too late. He sent for a woman 10 |
prepare the poor woman for burial, and |
when it was all over, Joe went with me |
to my home.
That little newspaper paragraph next |
morning, glanced at by thousands of |
eyes. unnoticed by thousands more,
was the record of brave boys work |
Tor two long years. The paragraph |
only said something about the drunken |
brute who had finally beat his wife to |
death and would probably receive life |
imprisonment, and ended with the SEN
tence: The family had been supported |
by the twelve-year-old son, who sold |
newspapers for living
The brave boy had borne his burden |
and his disgrace all alone, and had |