The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-04-12

"Ihats so, admitted Tommy, somewhat
crestfallen; al ,Oas put on by an accident"
"Thcy won't let you tell your story, Tommy
but 1'll prove your proposition that all scoops
are not accidental" said Mr.. Patterson
"Years ago lay in bed one morning, reading
what had written the night before, as you all
do every morning of your lives, gentlemen
After damning the proof-reading, as YOU all
do, and admring my stuff, which still shone
despite the efforts of stupid editor to take
the shine out-as you all admire yourS-I be-
thought me of the varied uses could make of
the additional stipend resulting from SCOOP
| said, MY dear Mr.. Patterson, pursue the
days doings of the first person whose identity
is logged into your life this day, if his or her
life is open to inspection, and you will get a
story
THAT afternoon met on street-crossing a
man had to interview, and we stood where
VIC met, until 1 was suddenly nearly Knocked
or pushed, down. When recovered my usual
dignifed bearing l found that l had been
pushed from in front of a runaway team by a
very bright, exceedingly self-possessed, and
soiled young person, who drawled out between
puffs of cigarette: yer chump, did yer want
ter get killededr
'I discovered that my polite and efficient
friend was a newsboy l had sometimes
'staked-I quote his vernacular-at early
hours in the mornings, when he confided to
me that his game of crusoe' had resulted in
breaking him.
''I knew him only as Pete and knew him
so well that anticipated his next remark: I'm
dead. broke, Mr.. Patterson, an amt got no
stake fer der evenin' poipers.'
~ staked Pete, and took him to clothier's
where l had credit, and furnished him with a
suit of clothes-which he called harness
when it occurred to me that he was the person
l should pursue for my story.
''He thanked me profusely for the gift, and
declared that he wanted to run home and show
de harness to me mudder an fadder.'
~ followed, unobserved, and discovered
that it was to another relative Pete wanted to
display his fine feathers, for in half an hour he
emerged from pawn-shop, dressed in his old
suit of rags and with four dollars of his uncle's
coin in his pocket.
81 felt fairly rewarded for my pursuit, and
convinced that was ON the track of story, if
not scoop.
''Pete made bee-line for an alley back of
an evening newspaper office, where 1 observed
him lose my stake and his uncle's loan in the
daunted courage but poor luck concluded,
in the wisdom of experience, that could then.
afford to relax my watch; that, if left alone,
Pete would soon hunt me up.
Son my way down to the editorial rooms
after dinner Pete waylaid me. ''Me fadder
broke his leg in de foundry he began, 'an
me mudder sent fer de doctor, who said me
ladders leg could rot before he'd touch it,
I,o bnIG ,ol,,
snooZer! So L ups an shoves de harness wild
me uncle, an wild wot yer staked me, raised
de five, see? AM so Pm broke, bein' good
boy, am lovin' me mudder.'
''Thereupon Pete wept plentifully being.
excited with his efforts of the imagination and
lack of dinner.
''Then | took my potential scoop to coffee
house-'a bun-joint,' in his slang-and fed
him. In the honesty begotten of full stomach
and contented mind Pete confided to me that
he had mo fadder, nor mudder nor brudder,
nor nuthn,' but lived in the place. of his side
partner
''Pete's side partner, he explained, was
Glasgow Jack, the keeper of slogging- den
kind of place, Tommy, which fourished in
this community before the promotion of
slogging was made the vocation of the male
TWO hundred.
'Glasgow Jacks, being an all-night place,
was frequented in the easily hours of the morn
ing by men who, having the drear prospect of
another day close at hand, sought to ameli-
crate their conditions by that forgetfulness
which comes from an early glance at morning
paper.
"Pete, in exchange for the privilege of sleep
ing on the mattress used for wrestling matches,
brought the earliest papers to Glasgow Jacks,
thereby holding Jacks customers, to the profit
of the bar. 1t seemed fair bargain, as Pete
explained it, but the chances for a scoop were
not improving.
''To make sure of my game | agreed with
Pete to stake him in the press-room as soon as
the paper was off, and we parted.
''That night went down to the press-room,
on the elevator, with the last plate, and there
was Pete, fighting, with science, and success,
to maintain his place at the head of the line of
waiting newsboys, all anxious to get bundles
for the all-night places, where two-bits is often
! picked up for an early paper.
lit was too dark to follow Pete, SO 1 told
him had a notion to meet his side-partner,
and hurried along with him to Glasgow Jacks
sit was the usual place-you remember the
type, Dunni A basement, a square ring in
one end; some dumb-bells and Indian clubs
scattered about, pool-table with leader
cushions, half-dozen berry card-tables, bar
| and q patronage of Dups low FOUNDERS and