Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1884-11-13
"BilIy the Scrapper."

snow, then, Reddy McGinty. kape in
the line, or I'll be afther kicking the red
white and blue stuffin' ont of yez. I've
spoke to yez once. and I'll spake to yez
no more"
The above somewhat inelegant remark
which was spoken with an air of con-
sclOus authority, was overheard by a
Record reporter hurryin through Jayne
street, above Seventh, on Saturday after
noon: where thrOngs of newsbOys were
waiting for the last editions of the four
or five afternoon papers which have
their distributing rooms on that narrow
thorougkfare.
The speaker was William j. Herrity, a
short, ad-shOuldered and muscular
newsboy about II years of age, better
known to fame as "Billy the Scrapper."
and his note of warning was addressed
to a small specimen of carrot-topped hui
manity who had attempted to GUST a
still more juvenile eOlored boy out of
his place in the line that was bessiging
the distribution window of the Item Of
fee.
At that moment two dimiI utlve young
sters approached the "Scrapper" and.
each handing him a cent, took their
places at the end of the line Of boys, who
were making as much noise as so many
gigantic English sparrOws.
well I'll tell yez how l works it,"
said the sturdy youth, in reply to ques-
tiOn as to what he had been paid for;
"yeZ see these kids comes here to get
their papes, and the big 'uns 'ud have
everything their own way if l didn't
look out and kape order. They'd be aft
er pushin' the kids out Of their places
in the line, and scarin' away the darkies
and ginerally uDsettln' the whole bust
ness jist out of diSellry."
"And the little boys pay you 10 keep
order and protect them in-their rights?'
Right yez are, and it's chape at the
money fur Pm only after chargin' them
a eint Il day." Here he suddenly dartsd
across the street and cuffed boy on the
head who was wrangling with one of
his little clients over some early edition
papers. Quit tryin' to chate tho kid
yer dirty duffer. Paid fur yer place did
yez? an what if yez did, that's no reas-
on fur yez to chate Johnnie Baxter, is it?
He then went up to the window to settle
another dispute, and the reporter turned
to small boy for further information
''Oh, he makes So or 81 week at this
job when there's anything going on that
sells the papers, and he only works at il
for two or three hours. In the morning
he sells papers himself. Why is he call.
ed Scrapper? Why, because he's so fond
of scrappin' OF course" The admfring
rooster then proceeded to tell how the
Serapper had fought scores of ambitious
young pugilists from the ranks of the
newsbOys and bootblacks, and bad come
out FIRST in every encounter. "Oh. he's
a dandy, tell you, and he fights as fail
as they make EN-" was the high praise
with which Scrapper's little admireI
wound up his account Of the hero's do
ings.
For over year Mr.. Herrity has been
keeping order and protecting the small
fry from imposition and the bullying OF
the larger boys, and he has come to be
regarded as judge and jury in all the
squables that take place among the
horde Of boys that gather about the
neighbOrhood mentioned. He takes
great pride in his fairness. The pay.
ment of cent, while 1t entities boy to
be carefully looked after for the day
does not allow him to take any liberties
with the boys who have not paid, and
any movement of that sort is promptly
stopped by the Scrappers warning voice
or muscular arms.-PhiladelpniO
| Record.