St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1892-07-16
TWO STREET GAMINS.

TWO STREET GAMINS.
Wolfe, tho Newsboy. and His
"'Dopted" Friend
It had not seemed rs il anything
could make that narrow, sQualid street
look any more dismal than the pouring
ruin. but when, late in the afternoon.
the rain stopped and the sun struggled
to break through the gray clouds. a
pallid light fell over the tall rows of
tcncmcnt houses that made their squat
or even more apparent
A few women with shawls hastily
thrown over their heads hurried along
the street. their wet skirts Tapping
about their feet 1t was not yet Eve
O'Clock, and the men who were on the
street struggled aimlessly along with
that weary. out-of-work expression
with which one soon grows sadly famil-
lar in certain parts of the large cities.
The street, however, swarmcd with
children who hoped about like spar
rows and picked up their crumbs of en-
joyment much after the manner Of the
feathercd tribe. A street band played
Little Annie Rooney" with much vigor
and mary discords, and some Of the
children danced to the music, evading
the heaps of rubbish with surprising
grace and agility. Into this Ia
leidoscope Of dingy colors . now figure
made its appearance.
oh tAA
rrchin, refraining for . moment from
storming the windows Of tenement
house with m nd balls.
Hi there, yerself." responded the
newcomer.
..How's Joey?" asked the urchin.
"Joey's bad, to-day" was the answer.
The first urchin resumed his inter
rupted occupation and the other moved
along. One shoulder appeared to be
considerably in advance Of its neighbor
and he proceeded side foremost, some
what after the manner Of . disabled
crab. As straight "A the manner Of his
locomction would permit, he came up
the steps of my house and jerked the
door bell.
Good afternoon" l said, Fastening
to open the door; do you wish to see
me?"
BE you the doctor lady?' inquired
my visitor. scrutinizing my face for
some stamp of the professor.
YES" I answered. smiling, "what
can I do for you?"
.sNothin' for me, /" he replied. with a
scornful gesture of an uncommOnly
grimy little paw, ''only just Joey"
.'And who is Joey?' I asked.
'Joey? He's my 'doptiOn," was the
answer.
"Indeed!'' 1 said. land what might
your name be?"
1T might be George Washington, but
It aint," he replied. crisply. but, re-
lenting. added: my names Wilfred
Mercer. Wolfe they calls me in the
street. aud you can call me Wolfe, too. :"
"Well, Wolfe, what is the matter
with Joey?"
''Oh Joey's back is bad. he Jest cries
md hollers al the time; brung him .
beFnanner this noon that was most all
good and he wouldn't even look at II,
and Joey likes bernanners powerfully
WELL" he added, reflectively.
II win 20 with you At once" said.
and We were soon threading our s"me-
what devious way among the puddles
of water that lay in the hollows of the
sidewalk.
'l1ow old are you, Wolfie?" asked
as we turned down the neighboring
side street.
''P'raps ten, p'raps twenty" he
answered, musingly: I'm the kind
that don't grow, yer know, and yer
lrint tell on folks like me how old we is
anyhow"
persisted.
"Well p'raps l do. I dunno, though,
it's goodish while since l rec'lect hav-
in Of birthday"
His face looked SO weird beneath his
brimless hat that 1 felt he might, in
deed. 30 ANY age" and changed the
subject.
How do you get your living?" !
ventured next.
I'm Q newsboy, leastways l was.
but the cops won't let me sell papers
now cos . sassiety said rs how warn't
At and my father he'd have to take
care of No, but Lor. . mirthless smile
spreading over his face--''my father
amt no account. He pays the rent
tho quite regular and sometimes gets
five cents on him, but he amt been
round very recent, and reckon he's
got took up"
How do you live them" ! asked.
.'Oh! the butcher lady. she's friend
Of my fathers, and she gives me soup
most every day for men Joey. and now
and then gets . sandwich OF the sa-
loon men; besides-there Amt NO cops
round, il there?" he broke OF, peering
sharply around-'it's 'gainst the law to
peddle," he continued. seeing that the
brass buttons Of the law were not In
sight, and might get took up il the
cops knew II, but don't mind telling
yer that I sell combs. I carries 'em
under my coat and nobody knows II,
md then IL . cop comes I jest scatter.
sect"
DO You sell many?" inquired.
"Well, no, not such . hoap. but suth-
ms better nor nothin'," he said. cheer
fully.
It occurred to me that the sparrows
In the street had somewhat less pre-
carious means of Subsistence; but by
this time we bad reached The rear tene-