Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-14
BILLY, THE NEWSBOY.
AN URCHIN OF EIGHT TELLS OF
HIMsELF AND "FAMLY.y
has 4 PRETTY LITTLE SWEETHEART.
He Says So, Anyhow-she Lives ON
West Franklin and Kisses Him
sOmetimes-The Youth q specula-
tor and Business-Man Generally.

This is Billy's own introduction OF
himself to the world. He is really small
for s. and is typical newspaper
boy. Billy has black eyes, that sparkle
with fun and mischief when they are open
and shut-aimost tight when he laughs.
Another thing about Billy is that he Is
| a master OF his business. There is not
moment when he is on the street that
| he is still. His little legs, brown with
| exposure to sun and begrimed with the
dirt OF the streets. are flying always
| like the spokes of an old-fashioned spin
ming wheel His Hanging OUT place in
the morning when he is selling the morn
| ing papers and early, in the afternoon
when the northern papers come in is
the Jefferson Hotel. or as he puts It, he
stops at the Jefferson" at that time OF
| the day. Later in the afternoon he comes
| rown to Seventh and Main to sell the az
ternoon papers. Sometimes he stays
there until 10 o'clock in the night. 1t is
a perfect wonder he has not been killed
by the street cars at this point. He
boards every one that passes, Is put off
or run off by the conductors, and is seat
ed on the step again with his feet hang
ing down, not touching the ground by
several inches before the ticket-puncher
has hardly turned his head He rides
for squares sometimes, crouched down
upon the step. When spied at last by
the conductor he leaps Off, and. hanging
on to the next car going the other way,
beats" back to Seventh again.
Another characteristic of Billy's Is that
he is never clean, face, hands, feet and
clothes included. 1t is not his mothers
fault, for that good lady, no doubt. does
all a faithful mother can do to keep him
neat, but Billy is a fin de steele boy. How
ever clean his shirtee may be when he
emerges from his castle on oregon Hill,
before the day is half over he has ruined
its complexion.
HE GETS HARD UP.
Like other great business men, Billy
sometimes gets hard up. He lacks capital
TO run his establishment during the next
day. But Billy has many acquaintance
and among them many warm friends,
and when he gets a little pushed he goes
to one Of them and effects a loan" He
explains that he is a Spectator and
must have capital to go upon. His de-
mands are modest, however, as he rarely
wants more than 10 cents. and oftener
would like just TO put with his own
earnings of the day to make up the
amount TO be invested on the next.
Billy" asked a gentleman from whom
the urchin had just effected loan Of
cents on his note 10 pay back next day,
"Who are you, anyway
His reply is given in the first paragraph
above. Billy laid especial Importance 10
the last item of his introduction, think
ing. doubtless, that II he went to the
Baptist Sunday-school his credit was
good for any amount.
"Now. Billy" went on the Shylocz, tell
me about your family" ''Well, sur,
Yves got ten in the family, including my
self. Ours par and mar and sewing little
brothers and sisters, besides me-"
and what do you do with the money
YOU maker" was the next query OF the
money-lender.
BILLY'S met PROCEEDS"
.I takes It home and gives it to mar;
she puts IL away, and next morning gives
me back part 10 buy more paprs VIA.
De net proceeds dey goes to help sport
de family"
"Billy what on earth do you know
about net proceeds?' and the gentleman
looked down on the lad whose heau
barely came up TO ms Knee
81 dom know; 1 hears 'em talk about
'em round at my church when dey has
oyster suppers and lone parties. l hearn
'em say one mite not long go, after
lone party, dat dur wan no net proceeds,
and / finked dat dey mean dey didn't
make nothing as nobody were dere.'
Apparently surprised at BillJ's re-
markable abuse of grammar and all the
clear cut rules OF diction, the usurer
asked him If he had ever been to day
school
"Oh. yes" he said; II used 10 go, an
ken read and write. 1t was back yondeF
in Januwerry; anyhow, know twas cole
as de devil"
When Billy delivered this speech he
drew up one of the short. wide-spreaulhs
brown feet and rubbed it with his little
brown hands as If 1t had gotten cold at
the thought of "Januwerry"
SAYS HE HAS A SWEETHEART
Riuy had been seated on the curb
stone most of the time during the con-
versation. but at the next question ne
came near rolling over in the street
BILLY. have you got sweethearl'
the inquisitive fellow asked.
The lads face had been a little solemn
I'D TO this for one so young. He was dc,
prpSSod with the cares Oh HIS
but as the meaning Of the query began
IN dawn. slowly at first, on him mar
vellous change took place. Red ploou
began to paint his cheeks in eolors that
even Main-street dirt could not hide the
corners of his mouth sought his ears
two rows of big teeth appeared. his eyes
snarkled at first. then shut together, ana |
he fairly shrieked, "Yes, sur!
"Do YOU love her much?" was the next
ipnertinent question. Billy Induced the
corners of his mouth 10 come back Dit' !
showed a CLEAN of black eyes, and TWIST !
ing his head little as II to get at MS
voice TO q still more remarkable extent,
shrieked again, just one long-drawn-out
word. Vase" -, Ct
Her name was Marie" Billy said sne
had brown eyes and dark-brown hair,
lived ON west Franklin street, and kissed
him sometimes. .,,uo
The conversation had taken place while
the interfogative gentleman was waiting
for a car. and now as one came bowling
over the hill, he rose to 60 Mister,
pleaded Billy, "dis is de las pap'r got;
won't YOU buy II, so ken 80 homer lie
vent home Immediately.