The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-17
MBRCURYS or THE PRESS
Boys Who Make the Welkin Ring
When the Paper Comes Out.
An Army Tint the Public Could Not
Afford to Dispense wfth-Condact
More Emphatic Than Elegant. 3ut
But Not Devoid of Appreciation.

More Emphatic Than Elegant. hut
| But Not Devoid of Appreciation
! Always round the corner is the
/ newsboy-that is. when he is not obtru-
| sively close ut hand. Like the press
which ne represents he makes his exist
| ence felt. or rather heard: for IL, like the
| former. he does not thunder he makes up
| for the limitations of his vocal organs
| by extreme shrillness of utterance. and
| by being as quick lightning.
| He is the latest edition of Mercury. the
messenger Of that popular and oicsn ter
| rible deity, the printing press, not fool
| ing about on mountain tops, but omni-
present in she busy marts of men. He
assumes as many shapes as Proteus him
| self. now appearing as cherubic, bright
| haired little felolw with traces OF some
sticky substance about his lips, indicat-
ing that part of his earnings go to the
candy store. Strange contrast TO see this
urchin under cross. examination by an
other juvenile whose countenance is of
that deep sable characteristic OF Ethio-
plans Of the purest type. Newsboys. it
must be understood. form ciiques, and
when any new member joins their body
they are naturally DESTROYS OF finding
out all about him, and determining to
whether he is worthy of the honor to
which he aspires.
rs dis de fust time yo' ever tried 10
sell papers?" was the opening query OF
the catechist on the occasion in question
timld Yes" was the response
"Whar does 20 lib? How ole is yer?'
and other interrogatories followed All
having received apparently satisfactory
replies, though in tone of voice so low
as to be almost inaudibie. ne of the dusky
hue assumed the role of patron and in
troducea The other among the fraternity
evidently relying his own well-assured
and influential position as a-Eecommen-
da ton.
An acquaintance with the newsboy In his
social capacity. and apart from his ardu-
Gus public duties, shows him to be a re-
markable person, gifted generally with
those qualities of happy repartee which
make him most engaging companion
He is, however, strange mixture of bold
ness and timidity, credulity and cynicism.
simplicity and cunning-a true gamin, in
deed.
Rustic and inexperienced persons of ma
ture years. when in quest of information
concerning the theatres the races, the
weather and other general information.
habit OF consulting BARRIERS. walters, and
publicans, who have been, and are, looked
upon as being encyclopedias of all such
matters. Never has a grosser error been
stereotyped in the mind of a deluded pub
lie. Beer, boards, and gravy are about the
only subjects upon which the class of in
dividuals alluded to can discourse with
any authoritative weight and naturally
enough. for x is only such matters that
come under their continued and daily OBJ
Servation Let the amusement seeker.
however, consult a smart newsbOy upon
the attractions of the several theatres,
and he Will be supplied with a graphic
description thereof. accompanied with
correct limitations of the more eminent
performers as they appear in their respec-
tive roles.
1t may. indeed. be said generally that
anything in the line of popular interest
not contained in the Journal which the
newsboy sells, is possessed by that indi-
vidual himself in his busy brain. BUT it
must be acknowledged that veracity is
with him an uncultivated virtue. He
! has doubtless heard that truth lies hidden
at the bottom of well. and deems the
search for it much too troublesome in
these dogs of progressive prevarication.
His Imaginative faculties are largely de-
Yeloped. and a slight sl1irmish to him as
sumes the Importance of a great battle,
where thousands are wounded and slain
SOMETHING'S he even goes so far as to
picture murder, suicide, scandal in
lurid cOlors, rendered more terrible by a
kind of limited mystery. sort of worse
startled pedestrian to tumble nsrvously
for the necessary pennies, aud perhaps. in
his disordered mental state, to substitute
nickel or silver instead:
Though NOT realizing generally in MS
personal appearance. the poets concep-
ttion of Hope he nevertheless possesses
that inestimabls quality in eminent
degree. But be has small conscientious
ness. 1t is needless to descdnt on his
lung power. which has been known to
almost deafen persons of delicate hear
Na4sITN aNruVa
and the sound of a flock of newsboyS en-
gagged in an animated discussion. reminds
one of that produced by a lot of English
sparrowS increased in volume many thou
sands of times. Like the sparrow, too.
he is frequently quarrelsome, and a SCI
entihc fist fight. in which much fancy
sparring is noticeable, Is of no rare oc-
currence when many are thrown together
waiting for the paper to go to press.
In every newsboy clique there is a lead
er whose views and opinions are locked
up to. Whether this adulation ~ 'ses from
a respect for physical or intellectual
qualities ii would be difficult. perhaps. to
determine. But the fact remains that
the newsboy is very devoted. almost a
blind follower OF his chief. 1t is merely
the old story of the sheep IF Panurge-
One leads, and the rest follow. each be-
cause the other does. Thus countess
schemes have been gotten up for the
proposed benefit of the newsboy. by phi
lanthropic persons who may either be
earnest in their Intentions or the reverse
But does the newsboy believe in the rep
reservations Of such persons? Not at all
He turns to the leader of his own get, and
waits for his decision. IL the latter ap-
proves of the plan. well and good-har-
mony and accord prevail: II he disap-
proves. the plan falls. The case may be
complicated by rival leaders among the
newsboyS, but when unity of purpose Is
not. failure is generally, in fact always,
the result.
Thus have persisted the oft-repelted
projects for newsboys home, banks, etc
in this city at least