The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1892-09-03

ucI - tWO liVtiC
waits that drift
ed about like straws on the black and
turbid tide of lie that rolls through
the dark streets OF great city. Some
undercurrent had drifted the two bits
of human flotsam and ietsam together,
and that was all the wisest could have
told you of Tom and Dick.
Not that anyone would have con-
sidered it worth while to tell you any
thing at all about them. The police
are the.only people supposed to be in
terested in children that sleep in dark
doorways or empty. sugar casks, and
their interest is so purely professional
1t is only aroused when there is q neces-
sity of carrying the little Migrants up
before the police court charged with
petty larceny.
But there was no morbid self-pity
about them. Some lucky chance-a
horse held in the street, or . half-tipsy
man throwing coins from club bal
cony to see the gamips fight and
scramble for them-gave the lads the
money to start In life as newsboys,
and thereafter they were as inde-
pendent an lords and gave themselves
airs among their fellows. They hired
an attic and abandoned doorwsys and
empty barrels as sleeping places for
ever; but the very crown and Joy OF
life they found In going to the theater,
where they spent the money that
should have bought them clothes and
food, and where, from the peanut gal
lery, they criticised play and actors
with absolute freedom.
Early and late Dicks shrill little
voice could be heard calling: "He-ays
yer mornin' paper-Her-aul-Noos-
Wur-rul!'' rs he swung himself on the
platform of the incoming trains and
took hair bre adth chances of crossing
the street before heavily-laden draya.
These were digressions that made life
worth living-the serious business was
selling a certain number of papers each
day and settling accounts with the
clerk in the newspaper Office, and
above all looking after Tom-for Tom
was weak and timid, and leaned heavi-
~ upon his stronger friend. There was
something sweet, and tender, and fine
in Dicks nature-the something that
made him hiss the villain, and applaud
with all his might when virtue tri-
umphed over vice in the lurid plays he
loved--and this dependence of Toms
called out all that was b est in him.
He was never too weary to go out of
his way for Tom; and almost rs well as
going to the theater he liked the long
nights when they covered over their
attic fire and discussed the subjects Of
their little world with the hard philos-
ophy of the street and q cynicism OF
which they were totally unaware. On
one such occasion as this, when the pa
pers had been full of double-ieaded
headlines about some man who WAS on
sverybody's lips, Dick asked:
tom, what is hero?"
And Tom answered, from the depths
J of his own observation: 'Oh, . hero'a
some body who does somethin' fine, an
has his name in de papers in big letters,
m, ., tc IS home de band meets
hirAaeing extensn' he rides up in ker-
-fit4re AstfA horses. See? dunno
what he does but guess he's like John
L. in de play; you know how he res
cues de CELL dat has been done bad TO.
OATS what q hero is like. tell yer
its CRATE, an what / says goes. Oh,
dere's plenty of heroes at the theaty-
de woods is full of EN-"
81 know" interrupted Dick. ''but I'd
Just like to see one clost."
WELL" replied his companion, scorn'
fully. .sef yer don't see what yer want
ast for il. Yer better advertiae in de
newspaper"
The suggestion was prohered In de-
rision, but somehow the incongruous-
ness of it did not strike the lad. he
was only the humblest servitor OF that
great power we cali the press, yet hil
life was shaped and nodded by II.
So it happened the next night just
before the World went to press, . rag.
ged little figure stood before the clerk
In the counting-room and handed him
scrap of paper on which was printed
with infinite care:
.wAnrrp-A ZERO Apply Arsi. Back
ALLeY. Dick"
The clerk smiled as he read. but he
had furnished Dick with papers far toe
long not TO know some purpose and
plan were working in the lads mind,
30 he marked it '.pd" and sent the
queer advertisement up to the compos'
ing-room Just as it was written.
Most of us, in these days when we
air our grievance In the newspaper,
know the delightful expectancy OF
Soking forward to seeing ourselves IN
pript but 10 Dick II WAS the opening q