San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-12-13
WAGONS FULL OF THEM.
RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK WHO
PAY NO RENT TO LANDLORDS.
In the East Side Streets Every Cart Con-
tains a ledger IL the Night Is Warm
and the Place Is sDark-when a Police
man Comes Along There's a Rumpus.


along the Bowery and in the dark streets
of the east side
Walking up Park row toward the Bow
cry at 2 in the morning the first wagons
| reporter saw were in front of a big furni- |
ture store Every night from two to four
| big trucks stand in front of the place, |
which may be termed the headquarters of
| the association.
In the first wagon were three jewellers.
| Two lay side by side with their heads to-
| ward the dashboard, and the other sleeper
was curled up crosswise at the bottom.
! He was genuine tramp, with a short
| beard and out at the toes.
Wrapped about his shoulders was a
| woman's ragged wooden cloak. He moved
uneasily as the reporter mounted the seat,
| and finally managed to raise himself up
| and attempted to climb over the back
| board ..
Don't disturb yourself, guv'nor," said
| the reporter. Pm not going to run you
| in. Why don't you go homer"
who's 'ati" inquired the wagon dwell
| er. "Who are yer. anyway? If yer a cop
per why don't yer jug me? If yer amt,
| sneak"
He then turned his attention to the bot
| tom of the wagon. and having selected the
softest spot rolled over on his side and be-
| gan to snore.
| A POLICEMAN APPEARS.
The reporter was about to leave the
wagon when policeman came walking
| slowly by and noticed him standing there.
| The policeman also heard the snoring of
the sleepers within.
Without a word he wound the string of
| his night club around his wrist, jumped
| nimbly on the hub of the wheel and then
| into the truck. With three sharp and well
| directed blows he caught the sleepers on
| the soles of their shoes, and put them on
their feet in an instant.
| "What do you think this is, lodging
| house?" he asked.
| There was no reply, but each man made
| a lively scramble for the pavement.
Just above Chatham square stood two
butcher wagons, partially hidden by the
shadows of the elevated road.
| The reporter jumped on the seat of the
| first one, and there, sleeping soundly al
most under him, were two little fellows,
neither of whom could have been more
| than l2 years old. They were dressed in
| knickerbockers and one of them was bare
| footed. Their faces were stained with
| dirt and one rested his head on q bundle
| of evening newspapers. Their arms were
locked and they could not have been rest
ing more peacefully had they been feclin-
ing on touches of elder down. They were
newsboys
Honest
| MOI
They had simply ended the day with too
| little money to buy their nights lodging
| in the Newsboys' home, and so had done
the next best thing. Sc
1t would indeed be a hard heated po-
hceman who would disturb them, Cor at
o'clock, long before the trucks are wanted,
they will be down in Newspaper row.
HE HAD A HOME ONCE. ..
Along the side of the wagon, almost
| touching the boys, the reporter saw a
| young man trying hard to sleep. The
| night was chilly, and as his clothes were
threadbare he shivered violently every few
| moments, and then after each CONFUSION
thrust his hands further into his pockets.
His face had traces of refinement, and it
| could easily be seen that he had not been
adrift in the streets long.
AS the reporter stood looking at him he
! opened his eyes.
".What is itY" he asked with a shudder,
as he tried to pull himself together.
Nothing at ALL" replied the reporter.
"Why don't you go home"
A wheezy laugh came from the young
mans lips.
For moment he surveyed the reporter
| critically, and evidently coming to the
conclusion that he meant no harm said:
my boy, did have home with good
mother at the head of it. But l used to
go out with the gang and go home when /
| couldn't go anywhere else. If | had a
home now there wouldn't be any other
place you could drag me too, see?"
The tears gathered in his eyes, and his
husky voice broke into sob.
But, young fellow" he continued, 81
wouldn't "a spoke of that only you asked
me why didn't go home. don't want to
impose on you, but if you've got spare
dime can have it?
Thanks, pardner. I hope you'll never
come to this"
The reporter continued his walk up the |
Bowery, and was about to climb into big |
furniture truck near Canal street, when an |
officer came walking slowly along and got |
ahead of him. Two other Policemen in
citizens clothes accompanied him. |
SOME ARE ARRESTED.
The officer jumped on wheel and |
rammed his long club around in the truck |
as if he were hunting rats. In an instant |
the heads OF two men appeared above the |
edge, and in response to the summons |
jumped out and were at once taken charge |
of by the officers. Not one of them uttered |
a word, but accepted the arrest as mat
ter of course But there was a third man
in the truck, and he was dragged out like |
a log. The policemen shook him and
slapped his face until he was able to stand