The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-11-26
THE NEWsBOYS.


Mr. Hoogs 1t has been the custom of
the star to give it's newsboys a Thanks
giving Feast. tits but right that those
who help in ever so humble a way, in
the prosperity of the paper, should have
recognition, and should reap some little
reward other than the lawful gains
they make by their little traffic. The
newsboy has become an institution in
Honolulu, as he is an institution in San
Francisco, Chicago, New York or Lon
don. He may sometimes seem to be a
bit of q nuisance. but if we did not
have him, the streets would be very
dull. The presence of the newsboy
gives a metropolitan character to our
city, just as much as the electric cars
do.
Our newsboys, fortunately for them
selves have not the difficulties to con-
tend against that the New York or Lon
don newsboy has to encounter. The
bitter, biting cold of November, with
the ragged and inadequate clothing is
terrible experience for the little waits
of the great cities. We. in this happy
life and our little waits do not suffer
quite such hardships. Yet, in spite of
hardship, and perhaps because of it.
the New York or London newsboy re-
velops and produces a good, honorable,
and at times a very successful man.
The work of the newsboy makes him
sharp, alert, and quick. 1t also develops
hn Of dishonest
newsboy would soon lose his trade
Time and again has the honesty of the
newsboy of Honolulu been called atten-
tion to by both residents and passers
by. A man has no change, gives the
boy quarter for his paper away scuds
the boy for his change, returns and
finds that his customer has gone. That
windfan, but he will try and find his
man, and it may be two or three days
after before he succeeds in his quest,
but the change is returned if possible.
This is to the credit of the newsboy of
this city, and in the main it is to the
credit of the newsboys of all cities. At
fer all human nature is far better than
when it is young than when it is old
The thoughtless. Needless newsbOy may,
after all, be better than the thoughtful,
heedful financier. The former has the
world before him and has fresh,
bright spirit. The latter has the world
behind him and has worried and worn
brain. calloused by constant attrition
wifi, 1t ba,, nN-arraapIipo brainS
But if the newsboy has his good
points, he has also some faults. The
trouble is that people are more apt to
dwell on his faults rather than on his
virtues. He is noisy, but, after all it is
the eXuberance of youth. His langua-
ge is not all that one could wish, but
he has learned that from his elders. If
he sWears occasionally, which he GER
tainly should not do, he is only copying
the language he encounters in his daily
work. Our newsboys in this city are
not Anglo-SaXons. They are not
brought up at home under Anglo
Saxon influences. They are chiefly
Portuguese with a sprinklng of Ha-
waiians and part Hawaiians. 1t is not
very much to the credit of the Anglo
Saxon that his worst habits of speech !
are picked up by these boys. The sin, |
if it be a sin, does not really rest upon
their shoulders but upon the shoulders
of exemplars of Anglo SaXondom that
they come across in the streets. You
must not be too hard on the newsboy.
But at Thanksgiving time one thinks
neither of faults nor of virtues. One
thinks of the boys having a good time,
and that has ever been provided for
them since the Star came under its
present management. 1t was kindly
heart that initiated the idea, and its
kindness has affected others. That is
the advantage of a good action. 1t not
only does good to those for whom it is
intended, but it spreads as the wavelets
on the surface of a still pool into which
a casual stone has been dropped.
The boys when they eat their turkey
and sucking pig, and get through their
poi and vegetables and then clamor for
their bags of candy won't be thinking
of anything which is here set down.
They will be, as most of us ever are,
considering the enjoyment of the mo-
ment. And it is but right that they
should so consider it, What has youth
to do with grabbed age. Whether it is
the poor newsboy or the son of the
millionaire, both have that glorious
attribute of youth, the capacity for
simple enjoyment. The old curmudgeon
looking on may fOresee how all this will
be lost but why look at it in that way.
Youth has the peach bloom on ii, youth
has the treasures of the rainbow, youth
is in possession of the fairy gold. 1t
all turns to dross or is brushed away by
and bye but let it have the glamour as
long as it can. So the Star wishes its
newsbOys in Shakesperian phrase to
LET good digestion wait on appetite
and health on BOTH"