, 1884-11-16

tchieago News.l
@Shine. sinner
Tho words came shriiiy from the tobacco
stained mouth Of an urchin OF 10 who stood
on a street corner.
.How much have You made out Of shining
to-dayfr was asked Of b IN
Il Lain't made nuthin'. Ben a ella pa
pers most ell dag. '1aiu't no day for shinin',
an the chumps wut's gone into them base
ment stands they gobblcs up allthe trade any
way"
iThat amt so, said another boy slightly
older than the first, who drcw near
with a hacking outfit slunz over his
shoulders. "A fcller what does gooi, clean
wurS an don't make muses. around Ia Offices
ken get plenty TO d., he ad led with a con-
temptuous glance at the tobacco muncher.
Can you mako q living at boot blackiugi"
was asked Of the new conner.
Ken l make q llyin'i Well, l should say
lien. I've been maxim q Twin fur six year
g. shinln' an sellin' papers I'm tryIn' now 10
st a job IN q shop. though, cause I'm getttn'
TOO big. Pm goln' en- IA n
-uow much do you earn In a day from
shiningfT
bout q dollar usually. II l work extry
hand l ken make a dollar an a half. l hev
cgstomers, an I goes to EN-. 4 boy what's
up to time an brushes up the gonts' pants
an' gives q good shine can easy get work.
Course, II you don't care how you do, they
aIn't gohf TO hev you round Another
whitening look was bestowed on the crushed
mail boy, who had confessed 10 making
-nuthiu' " all day. Then with a Jerk OF one
thumb 70 Indicate locality, the inrges boy
c1niiatcd.
~Why. over tiierc In that basement Billy
an smother fclltr have struck up partnership
an fixed up a PIN 0 Tor shinin' that's costin'
III 500. Agent what I shines for says its
the fined boo blacidn' shop in 'Aeriea- They
mnds tA9 hnil start by shinin'. They shin, Vi
o. The street, sumo as emmy Of rs. Boy Ken
gei long Il they want -, boot-blackini cr
ennyttins II thoy gits nothini 10 do is
their own !aIit' He turned about and de
parted With an air which cqualed In indie
Ieuaence chat Of the most opulent man la
CLirrtu. while tie little Unfortunate shifted
his quid to the othor cheek, and gazed after
hiu.
Tie inquirer crossed the street and entered
to b-sfment Indicated by tho bootblackAs
thumb. Two l.oya about IS years old were
busiiy engage Ia putting things to h.ip<
Tto apartment was light ard airy, and was
provided with heR{samo g~as-nxturea Two
happier CT prouder S,ung meu il would 30
difirult 10 End In Chicago than these two
who had succeedeYin lifting their trade oui
o. tho streets. The walk nf their place OF
busineo was hung with pictures which,
il not displayl Ing the highest Art, bad nothing
81 the questionable character OF the costly
paintings which often adon elegant drinking
places and othor resorts lifted up FOR tho pat.
ronagoof men.
eYes," said ono OF tho proprietos, ~we
saved up between Us IN the last year enough
70 open this place. and We calculate 60 make
"a a. - H. ~ - r..
nover ben anywhere outside OF Chicago ex-
oept once, when we won't on a newsboys' ax-
cursion to Milwaukee, but some OF our Gus
toners who havo been all over the country
tell mo That there Is no shop in New York rs
nice as this" Ho loaned back against the
wall and looked up admiringly at ono OF the
new g~as-iets with Its opaque globe Of glass.
"We employ seven or eight boys he ex-
planned, 'and pay them sl.& a day. We
rave all we con do. There Is always plenty
OF this kind of work Cor those that want Il.
/ suppose theo nre 1000 or 100 ~boot-blaeks
in the city. although We have but thirty
memheF In our association. Tho object OF
tho assoclatiors For benevolent purposes
and TO regulate price,"
"Who introduced boot-hlacking shops in
chicagof' asked tho reporter.
"A young man that came from New York.
He was a bcot-biack thore a long tlme.p
The originator Of tho boot-blacling shops
was found in a similar. basement 10 the one
already described, except that il was not
fitted up in such an expensive manner. He
was a tall and intelligent young man, who
ald be grew too big b follow his trade in
the streets, and, in casting about gor employ
mont. hit upon the scheme OF opening a shop
In Chicago.
ut Is a good busnes, II properly man
aged,' the young proprietor declared. "A
boy tan mako 3 or 50 a week anyway II he
tricA There Is a young maj who works for
me. ! give him half OF all no takes m. 70
He pointed to a youth who was busy shin.
ing n sentieman's shoes. "Ho makes con.
&derably morn than be could as an ordinary
clerk or In most things that 10 could find e
do. Tho greatest troSblo with boot blacks
u that while they can always hAvf
plenty 20 do, thore arc very few
who viii ave anything. The resi-
tool away all they gain as fnsi
a. they set II. Il Is the occupation.
however, into which the homeless lad natur
ally drifts. An tic education he ge.s IN Il 4
rad ness In Sizing up' tho folks no e brought
In contact with. 10y who comss up as q
bootblsck takes about the samc chance ir
life as q stray dog. but the boys aeem to b,
doing better than they used to do, and fcwcI
OF them become crooks As soon ne tho,
Aro old enough most OF Thorn manage 10 r.
work IN ahopS'