The Republican., 1895-10-03
THE POPCORN BOY.
A Business Reversal Unheralded d
by Dun or Bradstreet.

wrecks in the industrial and CONNER
cial centers. When the stringency was
most severe the daily press reported
how this prominent bank had closed
its doors, that we'll known mercantile
house had gone to pieces and this ex-
tensive manufactory had shut down.
Bat there were many minor tragedies
in this distressing period-stories of
destitution and diSmay-that were full
Of dcsolate significance to individual
lives, even though they gave the com
mcrcial world no thrill of alarm. This
is the story of one of these unreported
failures" the details of which APP
pcalcd to the writer with pathetic in
tcreSt.
\ slight and shriveled figure of me-
mium height-his growth seeming to
have been arrested before he attained
his natural stature-with thin and rue
full features, and eyes under project
ing forehead, and the ghost of beard
at the chin. This was Walter the
popcorn boy" as travellers over the old
tho 1 I-... Sl- i.s-s,
tirHs l"Tt6Out number at the station
in southern Michigan village, search
ing the ear windows with a wistful
gaze for prospective patrons. So many
years has he been attendant upon the
arrival of the day trains that his queer
and honely figure, one shoulder borne
down below the other by the weight of
the painted box he carried, suspended
by strap and steadied with his long,
restless hands, had become as much of
fixture as the sign board that swung
under the caves of the little passenger
house. Every arrival of train meant
more or less raising of windows and
the exchange of nickelS and pennies
for the plump sacks and the Michigan
fruit. All the trainmen were good
patrons of the faithful vender, but it
is difficult to tell which they sought
the most-the corn and apples they
munched or the privilege of seeing the
happiness their purchases gave Walter,
particularly when the extent of bust
ness made it necessary for him to hur-
ry home and stock up again. 1t was
plain that the vender's soul was in his
humble trade. You could tell that by
the gleam of joy that came into the
usually plaintive face when trade was
brisk at the trains or some liberal pas
sengcrs threw out nickel or dime for
an apple or a bag of corn with the
CHEEKY instructions to never mind the
change"
The big railway corporation, usually
very conservative about granting con-
cessions, allowed Walter to ply his
trade at the trains out of a sentiment
of loyalty (also a rare trait in railway
corporations to his deceased father
bright, capable man who worked
himself to death in the employ of the
road. Walter did not inherit his IA
theirs unclouded mentality, but he
recognized the responsibility put upon
his youthful shoulders by the removal
OF the breadwinner of the family and
at once took up the line of effort to
which his taste inclined and which was
happily within the limited range of his
faculties.
The extraordinary perseverance and
unselfShness with which he followed
his humble merchandising from boy
hood up, relinquishing all thoughts of
the thousand and one diversions in
which youth so much delights, and
foregoing any participation beyond
his bare necessities in the results of
his labors, which, though not princely
by any means, went a great ways
toward keeping off the gaunt visitor,
want, from the fatherless circle
these acts of self-abnegation belong 30
those annals of silent heroiSm which
the world never sees or applauds, but
which are written in the hearts of the
faithful ones of earth and credited
above.
For nearly twenty-five years he car
ried on his chosen vocation with de-
votion to duty that suggested martyr
dom. To make all the trains (the com
ing of a second railroad had enlarged
his operations, to always be punctual
and to make the most of the remain
ing hours of the day in his trade about
town was the purpose that SO pos
sessed his nature that hardly half a
dozen times in the whole period did the
faithful fellow feel disposed to give
himself holiday, and then his recrea-
tion was limited to day only.
ne ldullS ny Ilc LllFIltlueSS VI IIlciT
combined efforts had placed themselves
beyond the need of the sons industry,
but his work had so grown into his
life and he invested it with so much
pride and interest that he could not
think of giving it up. Nolonger lad,
but nearing forty, he was still the
same persistent punctual vender; still
know as Walter the popcorn boy. 1t
was merciful for him but pitiful for
others to think that it never dawned
upon him that the range of his facul-
ties was any narrower than that of
men in other callings; it never oc-
Cured to him that there was anything
insignificant or petty in his poor ef-
forts But the crude system of ac-
counts which he carried in a little
pocket memorandum he was often seen
working upon as he stood with his box
before him on the street corner; the
stress he put upon never missing
train or losing any time in pleasure and
his strict insistence upon the cash basis
all these indicated that his business
interests were as weighty to him as
the multiplied responsibilities of
great mercantile house to a stewart or
u. fa;n