Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-12-19

grows sufficiently large 1t is taken out
and placed in some nearby savings
bank. There have been a few accounts
that grew to a thousand dollars or
more, but these were not from regular
newsboys, but from those who had
graduated into driving paper wagons
or some similar occupation. The ur-
chins, for the most part draw out their
earnings to spend them on the gal
leries at the Bowery theaters, at
There are about $50 boys in the home
at one time. Only those are lodged
that have no homes of their own.
One Of the things that make the place
attractive to the lads is the gymna-
stun. Here are all the usual athletic
paraphernalia, bars, clubs and the like.
The sport that Is liked best by the
gamins, however, is boxing. Those who
don the gloves have to carry out the
game according to rules, as the idea Of
a square DEAF in sport is quite well
developed among these small Ameri.
cans 1t would be imagined that they
have enough fighting on the streets
without resorting to prize fights, but
their life is such a struggle that it de.
velops that side of their nature to the
full
The event of the year at the home,
however, is the Christmas dinner. The
boys themselves assist in preparing this
feast. In leisure hours they pare pota.
toes, turnips, onions and what not, help
set the other vegetables ready and
generally make themselves useful.
They regard it as their affair and there
fore take pride in performing what
otherwise would be irksome tasks.
They enter into these duties with the
same spirit that they would display at
game of craps or fight
There are about 600 urchins fed in
the home each Christmas, and it Is safe
to say that no feast In the land is more
enjoyed. Table etiquette may not be
highly developed, knives, forks and
spoons may not be used in just the
proper ways, fingers being more fire.
quently employed. and it is barely pos
sible that the boys "swipe" what they
cannot eat, but at any rate they are
enthusiastic. They may reach for ev-
erything in sight, eat the pie first, grab
Joints Of turkey in both hands, throw
bones at the small diners across the
room and use their we'll developed
lungs In manner that starts the bolts
In the steel framework of the building,
but all these little idiosyncrasies only
indicate that they are having the time
of their lives. 1t is related that on one
occasion large and succulent pie was
placed before each gamin and that In
about two minutes most of those pies
had disappeared. When a cop pres
ent made a strenuous talk about pastry,
the pies were pulled out from under
tattered coats, where they had been
slowed for future emergencies. The
hard life Of the street does not tend to
bring out a very fine sense of "meum
ct tuum" and the divine right of prop
erty. In fact, ii must be admitted that
many Of the boys will steal on occa-
sion, but, considering the life they lead,
who can wonder? There is no Objec-
ton to the lads filing their not too
clean pockets with the remains of the
feast however, and they religiously
avail themselves of this privilege. II Is
a point OF etiquette for an Indian guest
to carry away what he cannot devour,
and these little chaps are the Indians
OK the streets.
But how they do enjoy that Christ
mas dinner. No epicure ever got more
delight out Of an educated but stated
appetite than do the New York gamins
out of their turkey. potatoes swimming