St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-26

straight -limbed. Why should he
be anything that is hand
some or to be admired. poor
ill-used, forsaken little fellow that he
is. Perhaps he swears a little and is
ready to fight when imposed upon. and
his English is not of the best. But he
has had none of the watchful care that
is guiding the lives of hundreds of boys
in Minneapolis who are sitting this
Christmas day by CHEEKY firesides. But
''he's hustler, all right 'nuf." as the
newsieS put 1.-THE can yell with the
loudest wnen trade is poor, will run
block in response TO whistle, always
has his change ready, is bright-eyed
and business-iike. You can't help Tx
ing the boy. and you remember his
bright face in spite of Yourself.
1t was early in November. a cold.
windy day. Trade had been poor and
it had long been dark and Tom had five
papers left yet. He had yelled himself
hoarse. and had run from Fourth street
to Fifth, on either side of Nieollet ave-
nue. thousands of times, as it seemed to
INN, and nobody would buy his papers.
He was hungry and cold, and tired, and
his poor feet were wet and sore. He
had ten pennies in his pocket. but he
had not eaten sandwich with the rest
of the boyS-he never did.
"Guess I'll hustle round TO the West,
maybe it'll change my luck,'' he NUT
tered. between his chattering teeth, and
hurried away in that direction.
Paper sir paper?" a group of we'll
dressed, professional-looking men were
descending the broad steps under the
brilliant light. paper sir, don't you
want a paper?"
Eyes, I'll take a paper" and the
black-mustached, pleasant-faced gentle
man reached in his pocket for the
change, and made the purchase.
"Never mind the change, my boy"
he said, as the lad fumbled with his cold
fingers for the four pennies. "No, l
tell you don't want it." he returned,
as the boy offered the money.
swell, then. take the papers," and
the lad distributed his remaining stock
among the party.
Here, Doctor, what's the matter of
getting that dust that was troubling
you so brushed Off. before we 90 to the
party?" said the first speaker, turning
to the most esthitically dressed of his
companions, and down went Tom on
the steps to perform the light services.
and then he started off for home, richer
in his 25 cents than he had been in
long time.
one QOU N6eQ To DC llulSTf To-
night" he solilOquiZed. ''Talk bout
luck; why, those feller's shoes was
shined perfect, 'cept for little dust"
On he hurried down Washington ave-
nue. south, lodging through the crowd
for Washington avenue is always
crowded-stopping only few minutes
to make some purchases of sandwiches
and two apples by way of luxury; and
then on again. past block after block,
under the dark bridge at Eighth ave-
nue.. and past the endless line of stores
to the end of the long street, and yet he
did not stop running. He was at the
end of the world as far as civilization
was concerned, but his world was just
before him the flats. Down past the
stone brewery, under the dark passage
and over the steep bluff he went, and he
was in his home-cold. dark, dreary
place that it is. The black river ran its
shallow depth along little way ahead,
ill-natured and unsavory with the
scourings of the city, the long, black
bridge lowered overhead and stretched
out Serpent-like to the further bank,
and about him were the fiat-roofed,
shabby little shanties thrown down
here and there along the sides OF
crooked, narrow, nameless streets, and
this was the boys home; here he re-
ceiyed his first training.
He stopped at the darkest, shabbiest
shanty of them all, showed open the
dragging door and struck a match.
''Oh! Tom. l'se.so glad you's come.
It's been sc cold and lOn'som' and Fse