Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-05-19
TWO STREET GAMINS.
Wolfe, the Newsboy, and His
"'Dopted" Friend.

Il had not seemed aS If ANYTHING
could make that narrow. squaIid street
look any more dismal than the pouring
rain. but when. late in the afternoon
the rain stopped and the sun struggled
TO break through the gray clouds.
pallid light fell over the tall rows of
tenement houses that made their squat
or even more apparent
y few women with shawl, hastily
thrown over their heads hurried along
the street, their wet skirts Tapping
about their feet. 1t was not yet five
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-
joymcnt much after the manner of the
feathered tribe. A street band played
Little Annie Rooney" with much vigor
and many discords, and some of the
children danced to the music, evading
the heaps of rubbish with surprising
grace and agility. Into this ka-
made its appearance.
Iii there. Wolfie,' shouted a small
urchin, refraining for a moment from
Storming the windows of tenement
house with m nd balls.
Iii there, yerself," responded the
newcomer.
''liows Joey?" asked the urchin.
''Ioey's bad. to-day" was the answer.
La
ruptcd 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 di>a bled
crab. AS straight as the manner of his
locomotion would permit. he came up
the steps of my house and jerked the
door bell
food afternoon | said. Fastening
to open the door: do You wish to see
me?"
BE You the doctor ladv?" inquired
my visitor, scrutinizing my face for
some stamp of the professor.
Yes" | answered. smiling. what
can / do for you?''
'-Nothin' for me-" he replied, with n
scornful gesture of an uncommonly
And who is Joey?" | asked.
Joey? He's my 'doption.'' was the
answer.
Indeed l said. and what might
your name be?"
1t might be George Washington. but
it amt he replied. crisply. but, re-
lenting, added: MY names Wilfred
Mercer Wolfe they calls me in the
nd
We'll, Wolfe, what is the matter
with Joey?"
oh .Ioey's back is bad. he jest cries
and hollers all the time: I brung him a
bernanner this noon that was most all
good and he wouldn't even look at it,
and Joey likes bernanners powerfully
we'll he added, refiectively.
II will go with you at once" | said.
and we We're soon threading our some
what devious way among the puddles
of water that lay IN the hOllows of the
sidewalk.
How old are you, Wolfie?" | asked
"A, we turned down the ncighboring
side street
.Praps ten, praps twenty" he
answered, musingiy: I'm the kind
that don't grow, yer know, and yer
anyhow"
But you know yourself, don't you"''
! persisted.
We'll p'raps | do. / dunno. though,
it's goodish while since | rec'lcct hay
in of birthday"
His face looked so weird beneath his
brimless hat that | felt he might. in
deed. be amy age and changed the
subject.
How do You get your living?" 1
ventured next.
I'm a newsboy. leastways | vas.
but the cops won't let me sell papers
now COS a sassiety said As how warn't
fit and my father he'd have to take
care of me, but LOr." a mirth!e>s smile
spreading over his face--''my father
amt no account. He pays the rent
tho cutie regular and sometimes | gets
five cents off 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 a friend
of nv fathers. and she gives ma soup
most every day for men Joey. and now
and then gets i sandwich off the sa-
loon men: besideS-there amt no cops
'sou:nl is there?" he broke off, peering
SHARPLY around-''it's gainst the law to
oed,iir'- he continued, seeing that the
brass buttons of the law were not IN
sight. and | might get took up if the
COPS knew it, but i don't mind telling
yer that / sell combs. / carries EN-
under .ny ccat and Nobody knows 1t,
and then If a cop comes l jest scatter,
see?''
DO you sell many?" inquired
..Well, no, not such heap, but suth- |
ms better nor nothin'," he said. cheer |
fully.
IL occurred to me that the sparrows
in the street had a somewhat less pre-
carious means of subsistence; but by
this time we mad reached the rear tene-