St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-12-26
THE STORY OF LITTLE DAN.
"Clear out!w
"Black 'em for three cents?"


| CLEAR out, say,'' and the irate trades
man advanced toward the importunate in
| truder with a threatening gesture. The boy.
| little more than all infant in age and stat
ure. retreated through the door. but. I'M
daunted by his ignOminiOus expulsion from
the store. he calmly seated himself on his
battered little box near the edge of the side
walk and determinedly accosted every
passer-by with his curt BLACK yer boots?''
1t was cold December day and the ground
was covered with STOW. The people were
hurrying to and fro along Broadway, each
| individual muffled to the eyes in warm
wraps, vet shivering from the blasts of the
cold penetrating wind.
Hundreds of persons passed and repaSSed,
but the persistent boOIback received no
look, no sign. no word. His small. slen-
der form was so meageriy clad that each
breath of wind seemed to initiate his loosely
| fitting garments and baIhe his naked body
| in cold air. The cast-Off jacket of some
boy of larger growth performed the triple
service of waistcoat. coat and overcoat. A
pair of heavy trousers. held at the waist by
buckled strap were tucked clumsily into
! the legs of capacious boots. long since dis
carded by some poor workingman, whose
! toughened feet even shrank from such eX-
posure AS the gaps in the mildewed leather
made unavoidable. A rudely made cloth
cap gave its protecting warmth to the boys
| head and ears. and rOpy-looking scarf was
was wound closely around his throat. His
hands had no covering save the Tapping
wristbands of much Solled cotton shirt.
and such free ventilation prevailed in the
torn pockets of his coat that even those
customary Ravens afforded but little COM
fort to his red. fast stiffening fingers.
Truly pitful object was little Dan as
he sat there finching, half fainting in the
biting atmosphere. Yet but half the story
was told by his tattered garments. The
pinched and tattered features, the wistful
look of those blue eyes. and the weary
dropping attitude of that emaciated figure
needed no spoken language to explain that
hunger as we'll as cold had here most I'M
fortunate victim. The lad could not have
been much over 10 years of age; his face
was fair and clean, its expression denOting
a manly disposition. For more than ap
hour he sat there in front of the store from
which he had been so mercileSsy driven
forth, addressing every male pedestrian
with the short. businesS-like interrogation:
| BLACK yer boots? only five cents" He
received no response, not even so much as a
| brief negative Some men who strobe by
in warm .'artics'' looked down careleSSly
upon the shiveHng little fellow and
smiled at the abSurdity of stopping in
the streets to have their boots BACKED on
such day. Others wondered why the lazy
little urchin did not occupy his time in the
more sensible vocation of selling news
papers; and the proprietor of the store,
happening to look out of his window at the
hurrying throng, caught sight of the ragged
bootblack and wondered why the police did
not take care of such a vagabOnd. At last
there came along one young man more OBJ
serving than the rest. He saw that the
poor boy was suffering from cold and hun
ger. and his heart was touched. Stopping.
he said: ''Well. little chap, isn't this pretty
cold work for yOu?"
''Kind'r, SIR" answered the boy. as. with
an effort. he dropped on his knee and
pushed forward his box. Have your
boots blacked?"
No, guess not" laughingly replied the
young man. 1T is little too cold to stand
out here"
BLACK 'em quick, STRIP said the urchin
looking appealing up into the eyes Of his
long waited-fO customer
''What is your name?" asked the gentle
man, paying no attention to the box which
had been pushed close to his feet.
Dan, sir"
How long have you been sitting here,
DAM"
"Bout an hour
why don't you peddle newspapers? No
man wants to get his boots BACKED i'll the
streets such weather as this"
Please, sir. hain't got no money to buy
papers," replied the little fellow.
20. that is the trouble, is it? What
would you do with 10 cents if l should give
it to you?" pleasantly inquired the young
man. AS he said this he drew off one of
his gloves, unbuttoned his coat and took
out well-filled pOcketbook.
Il would get something to eat," answered
Dan eagerly.
Are you very hungry?"
Eyes, sir: but don't want nothing for
myself. My mother is sick and there amt
nothin' in the house for hers
That's too bad" murmured the gentle
man alphabetically. as he fumbled in his
pockets for some change; there were only
bills in his wallet. From one pocket to an
other went his hands-little Dams eyes fol-
lowing each motion with hungry expect
ancy-until the last pocket had been
searched and no coins could be found.
''Well now. / am sorry my little man
|
the words-''but have nothing less than a
,, SIS bill"
| Little Dams eyes became misty and there
was suspicious culver about his lips. But
he was not chicken-hearted and was no beg
gar. The tears that started were forced
back and the rebellious sob was ehoked
down. With determined toss of the head
he stood erect and returned a simple
Thank you. sir" to the young mans part
ing words. Am sorry, Dan, but l may see
you tomorrow"
For a few moments longer little Dan lin
gered in the street. vainly appealing to the
passers by for employment But ne re-
ceived nothing but rebuffs and harsh words.
Two ladies. attracted by his odd appear
ance. paused to ask him why he did not go
home. Il want to earn some money first, "
he replied; my mother is sick" The
ladies exchanged significant glances. TOO
bad" said one to the other as they walked
away. THAT children so young should be
taught the tricks of professional beggars. 5"
Soon policeman touched the half frozen
boy on the shoulder and babe him ''move
on" and in obedience to the stern mandate
little Dan picked up his box and YEARLY
trudged away.
II.
starvation Hospital" the place was u.s.
ually called. 1t was one of those dilapi-
dated and neglected frame tenements which
swarm with human beings very much as a
wharf hole swarms with rats. The build
ing had been erected many years before
and used as planning mill but when trade