The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1890-12-24

quite a successful newsbOy himself, he
could afford to have his family with
him. as he said. Pete was his family.
There were only those two and neither
could remember when there had been
any one else il the family circle 1t did
not cost very much to live at the home,
for the charge each day was five cents for
supper, six for lodging and six for break
fast, which for both boys would amount
to not quite two dollars and a half a
week, and find yer own lunch"
But first it must be explained that the
home is place where newsboys who
have no other place to live can sleep
comfortably and set their breakfasts and
suppers besides, if they wish, for the
small sums mentioned above. Its object
is not only to give them good places to
sleep, but to help them in other ways.
1t furnishes its inmates with schooling,
books to read and baths, free. 1t gives
them Il chance to save their pennies by
affording each place in the bank-a
great table whose top is full OF numbered
slits-and Offering Il reward for the boy
who has saved the largest amount when
the bank is opened at the end of each
month. 1t also makes them keep good
hours by refusing adnittance to all who
come very late at night. A ''home"
isn't the worst place in the world for a
boy who las no parents. In fact, it is a
pretty good place.
But 10 come back to Pete. He staid
at the lodging house most of the time,
because Patsey was afraid to have "sech
little chap" on the streets, and the ma
iron, Mrs. Brown, was very good to
him. She allowed him to remain with
her during the day, and gave him his
dinner when she took hers, because she
said he was real help to her, so he
was. in her work. He was a quiet lit
tie fellow and very sweet temperel |.
The newsboys all loved him, and many
Z ial remembered to bring Pete flower
OF bit of frnit at night. Newsboys are
rough il speech and action, but many
one has a kinder heart than beats under
a fine jacket.
Patsey, us have said, supported him
self and Pete; but you must not think it
was an easy task In order to do this
and put pennies away in the bank he
had to work early and late. lie sold late
papers because there were not so many
newsboys on the streets then and not so
much competition. Sometimes he did
not come in until little Pete, who went
to bed directly after he had his supper,
had been asleep for hours in his little
bunk, with its neat white pillow and
blue coyerlet. The great dormitory had
rows and rows Of beds, built one over
another, like berths in ships. and when
the word Bed was spoken ON the stroke
Of 0 in the room where many Of the boys
spent their evenings reading, all had to
go, and those out much later were fined
Indeed. no boy was allowed to come in
after I. and Patsey was a real hero to
stay ont after that time so that all his
papers nj .eht be sold, and then sleep
anywhere he could find a place. Mrs,
Brown knew why he staid, aud WIS sure
he did not haas around tho streets until
II just for u lark, a. tho boys sometimes
did; Int the rulo was strict, and she
could not se, il aside for one boy. How.
ever, Patsey was bright and good nat.
urod. and quite favorite with a certain
set Of people who used to buy his papers
pretty regularly, and he was not often
lett with any on his hands as late as H.
1t was nearing Christmas time, and
great were the calculations which Pat
sey was making about a "Chrismuss
treat fur little Pete" He talked it over
with the matron one night, just after
the announcement had been made that
the banks in the big table would be
opened on the 23d of December, instead
Of compelling the boys to wait until the
first Of the month, as was the rule
"Ain't it jolly, Mrs. Brown said Pat
sey. Il believe there'll be couple Of
dollars in my bank, and I'll spend every
red cent of it fur Pete. It's kinder tough
on little chap like him not to have any
folks when Chrismuss comes ASH Civ,
Inn nresents an turkey an all the thing