Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-06-26
JUST ONE BOYS WAY
THE DRAMA THAT WAS ENACTED ON
A STREET CAR.

Pocket Exploration Thnt Held the
Passengers Drcathlcss and Proved
Emincntly Satisfactory to the Per-
slstcnt YOunEstcr.
When this small boy on the Ninth
street car went into his clothing after
his car fare the other passengers be
trayed little or no interest in him. IL
was an ordinary, snub nosed, frecklA
faced boy of nine or ten, and it seemed
pretty safe to assume that he had the
nickel necessary for ride or he wouli
not have swung aboard, and so tlln
passengers paid little or no attention to
him. The men, as usual, occupied
themselves In pretending that they
weren't looking at all ut the good look
Ing women in the opposite seats, nn,i
the women, also rs usual, endeavoro1
to convey the impression that they
didn't know there was such a crcature
as n man within hundred tniles III
them.
But when this small boy began to
have his troubles all hands got to look
Ing him over. Everybody, it would ap-
pear, likes to see small boy in trouble
anyhow.
The boy plowcd around in the lining
of the right hand pocket of his shabby
little overcoat, screwing himself into
many possible attitudes as he stood
and wrigglcd In the AISLE and finally,
after terrific cxertion, he brought forth
penny, half buried in Il lot of woolly
stuff from the coat. Then he turned
his attention to the lining of the left
hand pocket of his overcoat. After al
most superhuman difficulties, In the
process of which it looked as T the boy
might get himself wrapped around an
Invisible axis several times In such IL
manner TINT he could never get right
again, he produced another penny, also
plcntifully waddcd In wooden lint be-
longing to the overcoat.
A couple of elderly men who were
reading papers side by side ut the end
of the car began to get nervous. They
pushed buck their spcctacles and stud
led the boys movements unxiously.
''Farc, there, sonp said the conduct
or.
Tho boy gazed rcproachfully ut tle
conductor. stuck the two found pcnndaa
In his mouth and continued his weird
eXcrtionS to assemble his faro.
He unbuttoned his overcoat by the
simple process of giving it yank from
bottom to top, and then he dug into
the right hand pocket of his jacket.
That pocket, too, seemed to be lining-
less. and the boy had to grope through
1t like cat clawing for the exit of II
bag. At length he got to the end of it,
and an expression of acute relief cross
ed his frcckled features. The hand was
wedged in SO tightly that he had about
as much trouble in getting 1t out as he
had had in getting it in. but 1t clutched
another cent when it finally made its
appearance. This went into his mouth
to join the other two. AT this point the
two elderly men coughed violently and
scowled ut the boy as ii to say that
they wished the internal business were
done with, but the others who We're
watching the boys moves looked sym
pathetic.
The boy next began !aborious ex-
ploration OF his right hand knicker-
booker pocket, from which he pro-
duccd and bestowed In his overcoat
pocket many articles peculiar to boys
marbles piece OF wax, Il rusty look
Ing knife two or three printed cellu-
loid buttons. and SO on-and Mt the
very bottom of this salvage was vet
another penny. All the other passen-
gers except the two elderly men
breathcd sighs of relief, but they want
ed to read their papers, and yet they
couldn't while this boy was engaged in
his cventful search, With the chances
about even whether he'd win out or
not.
"Fare now there. k,d"' said the con-
ductor. once more tackling the boy.
The hoy handed him the four pennies
from his mouth after very politely rub.
bing them off on his overcoat sleeve,
and he said, with n very boyish grin:
II got the other one somewheres.
Wait Il minute. mister"
Then the boy gazcd up ut the ceiling
of the car and studied for u moment.
while the other passengers except the
two elderly men, who looked fcrocious.
rooted for him with all their might.
The boy felt tentatively Mt his left
hand knickcrbockers pocket but It was
plain to see that he knew that was no
go. For about half minute he looked
worried, and the sympathetic passen-
gers worried along with him, US could
be seen by the tense expression on
their faces MS they regarded every
movement OF the boy with strained,
almost fevcrish attention. Then tho
boy reached into back pocket Of his
knickerbockers, brought forth one of
those celluloid travelling soap boxes,
somewhat battered, took of the lid.
and there. buried in lot Of junk, was
the other cent.
The sigh of relief that ran around
that car was distinctly audible. The
sympathetic passengers, men and wo-
men, settled themselves back in their
seats and smiled at the boy, and two or
three of them looked ns If they wanted
to- jump up and suggest cheers. Tho
two elderly men coughed violently
again, readjusted their spectacles and
began again on their newspapers.
Then the small boy sat down, took a
neat looking change purse from the in
side pocket Of his overcoat, dumped
the contents-about 50 In quarters.
nickels and dimes-into his hands and
began counting 1t. whereupon the pas
sengers who had been roofing for him
but moment before instantly frozo
and looked ut him as II they consider
Ut