Evening star., 1896-01-04

was attracted by little newsboy. 1t
vas evident that he had not been selling
papers very long. for he did not mingle
with the other boys, and the childish voice
was very weak as he cried his wares. His
clothes were neat. but very old and care
fully patched Around his neck was a
clean collar and a homemade necktie that
had once been q piece of a black alpaca
dress. Everything about him betekened
that loving mothers hand had tried to
make her boy appear like a little gentle
man SIS he went out to sell his papers. I
talked with the young news merchant, and
found that he lived with his mother, and
she is crippled widow, with none but him
to rely upon For four years of the eleven
that had been thus far allotted him by
Father Time the little fellow had struggled
ma. fully to bear the burdens fate had de-
creed should be his, and he proudly de-
clsred that ''it was not often they went
hungry, and then only for few days,
when rent fell due" He had only been
selling papers for week, but earned s.,
almost dollar of which they had saved
toward the rent And as l left him. the
lines of care and thought already drawn
about the face that had lot yet lost the
innoceDcs Of babyhood, and the picture of
crippled mother proud of her boy, and
suffering that he must, thus early in the
morning of life, do the work that belongs
to its midday hours. the penury of living
on 81 a week, and yet the happiness of
saving a few cents, made me look in a
new way upon the little fellows who. run
ming around corners. darling into street
cars and lodging between passers-by upon
the streets, try to keep the public informed
and themselves from starving.
* x *
I was talking to physician about the
sufferings of the poor during the winter
and he gave me some Ideas that I never
heard before in so forcible a way. Yes
said he, "the winter Is a season when it
seems almost criminal to enjoy warm fires
good food and proper clothing unless we
contribute toward the relief of those who
have none Of these. But 1t Is not the des-
titute who have been reared in squalor,
who. generation after generation. have
become irured to privation. who suffer the
most or who die from exposure. A ply
siciar is frequently called to houses in the
better parts of the city. houses that look
like the abodes of people in easy circum-
stances, where the only proper prescrip-
tton is more and better food. and this they
cannot obtain. Always used to comfort
able surroundings, their pride a part Of
their very nature, they suffer In silence,
and then when they break down COM
pletely physician Is called, and he leaves
a prescription and directions as to diet,
knowing that the latter cannot be carried
out, and without it drugs are of no avail.
These ere the people who have always en-
joyed good incomes and lived up to them
until they. are suddenly stopped. For a
few months, or until their credit is ex-
hausted, they do not suffer. but when the
grocer will trust them no longer they smile
to their friends as before, no one ever
knows, but they starve to death, and the
disease is called by other names. I don't
know that Washington has more of this
cls SO than can be found in other cities, but
probably so, as changes in the departments
would explain it. At all events 1 have
written other causes upon death certifl-
Gates many a time when starvation was
the real trouble. The money friends ex-
pend IN flowers for their funerals would
have saved their lives"
X X y j.
II was greatly interested In the finding of
three of the largest nuggets ever discov-
ered," said well-krown mining expert to
me. 1T seems strange that the Appa-
lachian field is not worked more than it is.
The largest nugget ever found in the world
was in Cabanus county, North Carolina.
The dispatches stated that gold was found
In several counties. 1 should think so. There
are continuous veins from Virginia to Ala
bama- That field is about 100 miles long
and 100 miles wide, and, adopting the new
methods that have made Cripple Creek a
success, there is scarcely hill that will not
pay to work. 1 nave been over 1t thorough
ly- If the largest nuggets in the world We're
found in any western state, thousands OF
people would flock there, and the veins from
whieh those nuggets We're broken would
be found IL it cost hundreds of thousands
OF dollars prospecting. Everybody knows
that there is gold in Virginia, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama; :;
everybody has heard that the mines have
been worked out, as they were under the
old-time primitive processes, and beyond
that no ohe seems to care to investigate"
x X X X
A friend of mine attended President CIeye-
lands public reception New Year day, which
revived recollections probably shared by the
chief executive of the land and Mrs. Cleve-
land 1T is the first time have seen them
since 1 lost them down at Chattanooga"
said he to me. 1T was during President
Cleveland's first term. He and Mrs Cleve-
land took a somewhat extended tour of the
country, and among other cities visited was
Chattanooga, where 1 lived at that time
II was a great day for the historic town.
and was glad to be appointed member of
the reception committee. We worked hard
had the finest vehicle in the city ready,
upholstered in red plush; decorated the
court house, where the President was to de-
liver brief speech, and trimmed many yards
OF bunting over the buildings Then we
went to the depot. AS the train pulled in,
sudden rain storm came also. 1t seemed as
n all the water in the clouds was pouring
uo"h at once The President was brave
enough to start for the court house never
tnetess, but he never reached it. The rain
penetrated through the roof of his carriage
and compelled his return to the depot The
carriages containing the members of the re-
ception committee, including Col Dickin-
SON VINO had an elegant album and a beau
ufui speech to deliver to Mrs. Cleveland.
went on to the court house, having lost the
president By the time they reached the
aepet the presidential party had started for
t'ahta- ihe next train carried some of the
reception committee, who went to Atlanta
anu presented the Chattanooga souvenir
but don't think Mrs. Cleveland needed snv
reminder to keep the town in her memorv
We discovered that the rain had washed the
color out CT the new red plush in the car
rage and the dye looked like a pool of blood
on ire hoor of the vehicle. Mrs Cleveland's
uress was dyed an artistic red. The album
was souvenir of the mineral and timber
Weaith OF that section, and the dress was a
nj souvenir of the bloody battles that had
been fought there" -1
, = X X
don't know what to think about the
oisease OF kIeptomania.' said detective to
me the other day. Il have lust returned
from Iowa. where 1 testified In a case that
resulted In man being sent for
fis fourth term in the penitentiary.
went to school with him, and he
was the most gentlemanly boy I ever
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