Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-24
Written for The Evening Star.
GONE OF THOSE BOYS!"

TN THE MORNINGS HE DODGED ABOUT
i with bundle of papers under his arm
yelling:
IN York papahs! n York HerI! Trib'n--
Times, Sumner Wort papah,''
The latter part of the afternoons he spent on
the street cars, hopping off one to board another
rs it passed in the opposite direction. And all
the time he was crying. with the peculiar twang
that only comes with practice:
''Sta-ah. YAH Sta-ah papah,' varying it
occasionally with n more subdued but more
pointed: ''pape', sub? Stab. suh?''
People on the cars would scowl sometimes
and wish THAT boy would stop his noise--''
His lungs were the loudest on the avenue and
conductors USED to kick him off if they got the
opportunity. but there usually some stout
old gentleman on board who wanted an even
ing paper and the scowls and the kicks didn't
amount to much, while the pennies did.
So YOU were bound to him on the avenue
every evening, with his big, dirty face topped
by an old cracked straw hat minus brim and
vi h n crown that tapped up when he jumped
off a car, his bare fee. pattering on the asphalt
and you were bound to hear that nasal twang-
ing cry above all others, Just as surely as YOU
were bd nd to hear the cable car gongs.
WhenThe got through his papers he used to
go up street off the avenue and halt at GER
tain shop window. 1t was a small store and
had dismal-looking curtains. draped back over
few show articles, and YOU could see short
counter inside. Trade in toys was not brisk:
it was one of those little stores that simply oc-
cupy valuable ground.
The boy came every evening and peeped in
the window at a certain shelf behind the lone
some counter. He had ventured inside once,
and when a big. hard-faced woman came out
| drying her hands on her apron. and snapped
"What yer want. boy?' he had timidly asked
| in a voice quite different from his usual one:
PLEASE m. how much is that-that yah
Nors ark pointing at the object on the shelf.
That a dollar nd half-and yew can t
buy it-yew ain got the money so git out O.
| here! Go long. And he hadn't been in
since. But every evening he used to come up
to the window and glance through at that
particular shelf. The Noahs ark was never
moved. The jars of candy taken down
occasionally and their contents changed or
renewed. but the ark stayed right in the corner
The dust on its roof getting pretty thick
and the vivid colors on its sides were a Int lie
biz duler. But it still stood there on the shelf
and when, through the dismal curtains the boy
saw 1t. he used to jingle the pennies in his
breeches pocket and look forward to the time
when he would own the necessary number of
coins to make that ark his He didn't get much
! for selling newspapers, but the little pile was
growing and the ark seemed to be coming
| nearer.
| One day the sum was complete. He had
made the last nickel he needed selling his
''Sunner- Wort papahs!' At noon he dashed
mp to the little shop window. Yes, there it was
on the shelf still. He had brought his money
with him. 1t felt heavy in his pocket; but he
would not buy the ark just then because he had
no place to keep it. He would come
was going home after his papers were
sold. People in the cars noticed. the joyful
CLEAN In his black eyes that afternoon. His
smile was broader than ever and he showed
more teeth than one would have thought he
had. His voice was clearer and even bolder
and he yelled "Sta-ah! YAH to distraction.
Kicks and scowls didn't matter in the least now
He could buy that ark right then If he wanted
to. He didn't seem to be so watchful
for customers as usual. The way he
jumped on and off those cable cars
was perfectly reckless. and more than one lady
turned to her friend and remarked that Zone of
those boys will get killed some day and then
there IL be big fuss! Y on mark my words Every
now and then he would pause in the middle OF
the street and grin all to himself, and for no ap-
parent reason. He looked very happy
One paper was left Of his stack: "Here yah,
mister; buy this un n I'll git off the street,
The gentleman smiled and gave him a nickel
and the boy darted OFF down the avenue, up the
street and into the little shop.
The woman was sitting behind the counter
sewing.
'.say, ma Fam. here's the" and he stopped
off short. He had just glanced up at the shelf
and it was empty. He rubbed his eyes.
''Oh, WARS the Nor's ark?'
The hard-faced woman looked at him with
wondering scowl
'.Gave it away this afternoon, an don't see
that it's any business Of yours, neither!''
The light died out Of the boys eyes; his thick
lips trembled and he walked out of the little
dingv shop looking dazed, his bare foot STUN
bling over the threshold. 1t bled and left marks
where he trod, but he didn't notice il. He
went back to the avenue, crossed it and passed
on down toward the river. He stopped at lit
tie hoyei-like shanty and opened the door.
| Mat, he said in queer broken voice to .
small child with a sallow face and wasted frame
lying YEARLY on an old patched-up lounge, "Mat,
ifs-its gone! She give it-sway! n II can't
buy it for you, Matv'
/ And hinging himself down on the floor beside
/ the lounge he sobbed as il his heart would
break, and some Of the coins in his breeches
/ pocket rolled out on the bare boards.