The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-01-31
SHINES BOYS SHOES.
Upper West Side Young Woman Ac-
cepts a Joking Challenge.

New York, Jan. 31.-Beeause she
wouldn't take a dare" and was de-
termined to win a bet Of S100 and five
pounds of candy. a handsome young
woman shined a messenger boys shoes
last night in the Western Union tele-
graph office in Broadway, near Thirty
first street
About II O'Clock a carriage stopped in
front of the office. Three young men
in evening dress jumped out They
were followed by a young woman, ap-
Darently a negress. who wore long
raglan coat and a big white hat she
carried a green bag and q hat box she
hesitated a moment, then walked bold
ly into the telegraph office Her com
panions remained outside.
DO you want your shoes shined ?"
said she to Shubert. the clerk.
Shubert looked at her in amazement
He saw at once that she was white
girl who had "blaclsed up with burnt
who are vou2' he demanded
I'm a bootblack. ana / want TO shine
somebody's shoes" said she I Will
not charge you anything
shubert singled out one Of the mes
senger boys.
Here, Jack" he said This lady
wants to shine your clods-"
Sure said Jack. with a broad grin
I'm going to see my best girl tomor-
row and the shinell come in handy"
The young woman shuddered. and
seemed as if she would faint. But then
she. set her teeth firmly. opened the hat
box and brought forth bootblack's kit
Placing this on the floor she dropped on
! her knees. Jack placed one shoe on the
stand Then she dumped the contents
of the green bag on the tioor-brushes.
/ backing, bottles and strips of Canton
flannel
With a shaking hand the young wo-
man daubed the backing on one shoe.
Then she took two brushes and started
! in the shine. She worked and pro
duced a good polish on the shoe
i But Just as she was about to start on
I the other she dropped the brushes, put
/ her hands to her face and began to sob
violently A crowd had collected out
1 side. AT the sign of her breaking down
/ one of the young men, who had been III
the carriage with her. rushed into the
ossce.
You're all right. Nell he said, lift
ing her to her feet and YOU win the
I bet. You can have a hundred pounds
/ of candy if you want 1t, now
Nell" rushed out Of the Office and
/ into the carriage.
The young man who had entered the
office said he was her brother. He
4 picked uD the boOtblacl1ing outfit, say
j ing it had been hired. He refused to
tell his name.
We live on the upper West side, near
i Riverside Drive he said, tand tonight
there was a gathering of young people
in our home. Ny sister is known for
her daring, and some Of the boys began
to tease her saving she only made be-
/ lieve she was brave. The talk turned
/ to q masquerade ball to be given mex
month. One of the boys said to Nell, I
dare you to dress up is a bOOtblack and
go out and shine somebody's shoes
My sister fared up. III bet YOU 500
I will she said. He took her at her
word and said he would add five
pound box of candy. She Immediately
+ left the room She came back in a few
minutes with her face blackened.
" Now order q cab she said. We
thought we'd let her go the limit. so We
got the carriage. We had to come down
to Thirtxfourth street before we could
hire this bootblack's outfit You saw the
rest"