The Washington times., 1895-04-17
zii
METEORIC LADS ON WHEELS
z ?
". c. 7. U. Has Formed Messenger
BOYS Department.
Mrs. Nellie H. Bradley, superintendent of
the Work. Has Appealed to the
Public in Poetry.

Prose is altogether too slow a vehicle
of thought for the boys who make a living
on the whizzing wheels. These meteoric
little men are now organized in an asso-
citation known as the Messenger Boys Club
of the w. G. T. U.
Their needs are not many, and these few
they expect to have supplied by their old
| friends, the public, whom they serve SO
well, so many times, and at all times.
Mrs. Nellie II. Bradley, superintendent
of the NJ. B. D., of the W c. T. u, has
set the appeal of the boys TO the tripping
pace of poetry, and as this poem tells the
domestic and public story of the mes
senger boy, and especially their need of
room here is the poem:
The Messenger Boys Song.
Air: Spanish guitar.
Respectfully inscribed TO our patrons.
All over the city you see us,
Clad snngly in suits blue and gray,
Some whirling along on the cycle,
Some sturdily .tTudging a way.
Chorus
Mutual District; Postal Telegraph; speeding
away
VI Nli aus III bus ny anu ~ dcs
P. o. Special; Rapid Transit; Hurrah, for
us ALL
The boys in the blue and the gray.
Our lot is not always quite happy,
It's just full ofrough ups and downs;
Instead Of a smile or a nickel,
We often get curses and frowns
The needs OF our dear ones compel us
To work when we should be in school,
Small chance for us fellows TO study,
Aud who wants 10 grow up a fooIl
We go when we are hungry and frozen,
We are rushed" when tired and sick
We bust the Old rules by the dozen,
And often we get ''fired"-quicki
You want us 20 go like the lightning,
And drivers don't turn out for us;
| The gripmau thinks we can scoot by him,
And don't make very loud fuss.
| And then, when all cut up and bleeding,
We lie on the hospital bed,
| Our pay stops, and some one will miss it.
But then dts grand-not to be dead.
| We "skylark'' and break regulations
Aud then We are fined firssmd last;
| Our bicycles always need meHtiing,
Our suits wear outawfully fast.
| The people declare we are "terrors,"
And say that we all swear and fight,
! But that is a ''whoppeT," for many
/ Are trying TO "Dare TO do Tight"
| For that's what we promise the ladies
Who kindly adopted us boys;
| The W. c. T. u, who love us,
With ali our mischief and noise.
| They are trying to get us a club room,
Where we can drop in any time
! To read, study, sing and play ''croky"
And other nice games that don't rhyme.
| Please help them to get the place started;
Twill be the best thing for us yet;
| Wen find all the good there isin it,
Andiots Of fun also-you betl
| And now we must bring you this message,
For those who Will know what IL means;
! Don't send us in barrooms and places
Where wickedneSs shows tempting scenes,
And then say that messenger boys
Are shockingly bad, don't you know;
| 'Tis strange that they should be so Vicious
do wonder what makes them so?"
Kindly greet us when you meet US speeding
away
On errandsforyou by night and by day;
Mutual, Postal, Special, Rapid-Hurrah
for us ALL
The boysin the blue and th egray.
The boys are organized for purposes of
social pleasure and Improvement. Their
motto is: "Dare to Do Right" Profane
or vulgar language is absolutely prohibited,
| and all lungentlemanly conduct is prescribed.
Their good cause, their ambition, and
| their desire for improvement ought to Sc
| cure for them a good April shower of silver
sympathy