The Washington herald., 1908-08-28

D -N---N A-e-HN --eA4 AlAs4L ELEQQEs
A "Reddy" in wharf vernacuIar Is a
noy. and according 70 wharf history.
about twelve years old To be a -'Reddy. -
a boy must possess accomplishments bill
lisnt enough 10 justify his worship. for
he Is an IDOL. and IS placed high up where
all can SEQ and admire.
The first and most important requisite
/ IS red hair. which should be red in the
t-ll ss1se Of the word He must wear il
Ions, as though proud OF it. Next in in
2ortance 70 the hair ranks his ahuiry as
= fighter. and as the manly art Is pronaI-
nent among the accomplishments Of al
wharf boys. II he possesses red hair ~
need not worry. Hair OF such a color.
according 10 history and fiction. irrbu.s
its owner with sufficient fire 10 equzUzs
any hsuc deficiencies.
Must Have Red Hair.
! Il he has red hair and can fight. the
[ boy VINO aspires 10 the title Of .sRe6dv-
Z has Only 70 acquire the art OF swim
ming and the habic. Of iuhaiing cigarette
smoke 10 transform his aspiration into
q reality.
Until a year ago all "Reddies- were
alike They held the title year or two.
fighting swimming. consuming a marvel
Gus amount OF nicotine. swearing. and
playing their role 70 perfection. and then
either died gave up their honor 70 a
successor. or disappeared without the
formaIity Of o g00d-by
A year ago a new Reddy made his
debut Where he came from. who he
was. or his reason for coming. remains
as deep mystery as is sometimes m
raVeled in Decent paper back novel
with picture or It's cover calculated 70
send thrills through IT'S readers brain
and body In fact. everything concern
ing the last "Reddy' is a mystery ex-
cept his ability 20 swim from washing
-cn 10 Alexandra and back. 70 defeat
any two boys his size and age in a free
for-dil fight. and 20 smoke as many
Tenty--for-a-nicSel as three men old
enough 70 be his father And Il was be-
cause of the mystery surrounding the Isd
that gave 20 him the honor OF being the
most famous 'Reddy'' who ever swan a
river. beat = boy. or smoked q cigarette.
'Rsddy'' made his appearances On the
Wharvos With policeman close behind
and running as though 81 was his one de-
sire in life 70 break the worlds reco-5
for sprinting- When ''Reddy'' hit the
lumber piles he disappeared Ike a rat
down a hole
Five minutes later he had vanoufshe7
the one time ''Reddy' IN q fzht which
for briefress and Serceness. had never
been witnessed on the wharves. When
the former holder Of the title lav in the
dit wondering what had happened. the
new "Reddy'' calmly lit a cigarette. there /
by showing he was fully capable OF main I
tanning his composure-
Haif an hour later he had svum across f
~ra Ha-Nr- nj -
enough lefJ after his erTort 20 fuhaIe the
smoke Of cigarette without coughing
Laure1s to His Crown.
For eleven months Re reigued. adding
laU7els 70 his crown Of red hair. winning
a reputation such as had never fallen to
the lot Of a -'Reddy'' before.
When he felt the panss Of hunger.
which was almost as rare as an ec,fpsa
Of the sun, he was given something 10
Eat by one OF his admirers When he be
came so ragged ne was IN danger OF ar
rest, he was furnished stray garments bv
admirers When his supply OF tobacco
and cigarette papers was exhausted. more
wee forthcoming
"Reddy" slept in a loft where er1p+v
barrels were stored, rats thrived. ana
lust accumulated
O1a day something happened which
,hanged "Reddy's' life a minister.
F-lile on the wharf buying waterneIons
.or a festival which was u be Elvs1
hat night saw 'Reddy'' and was 50 Z,
-stonished at the strange appearance Of
he boy tast he made inquiries. Early
me morning 'Reddy" was awakened hv
sharp rap On tle trap door opening
through the floor ioto the loft where be
lept.
Expecting TO see the face Of = police
ra1 in search OF him for some mfs5e- !
na2Es-. 'Red6y'' was nearly overcoms
Titl auazsusnt when the face OF q
iroacher looked up through the opening
the Seer "EseG6y'' did Eot speak. end :
fts- a minute Of staring on both ssdes I
Re minister climbed into the loft
WHAT trsnsptred IN the next few hours
Eeddy'' never told. but day later !
'yeddy' disappeared
KS absence was unexpIalnable and !
o1ld only be accounted for by the SUP !
.7S-Lon shat he had been arrested or :
sled But Red6y'' was performing that .
-E-ch he and his worshipers believed too ,
ar below him TO BE thought possfble-
very morning st o'clock ne appeared
Z an Office in a big stone building. wear =
IS e new suit and a uaon collar.
Although he was ashamed TO admit Il to
. former friends 'Rcddy'' had taken q
,ep or the ladder Of success in the life +
an orphan. ard he knew It Working
Az and conscientiously. he gained the a
espect and confidence OF his employer. Z,
-hich was equivalent TO an increase n I
alsry and new clothes. E5th enough s.
1s-ge left 10 buy soda water with ice
rean and a straw in It.
y sells passed. and the lawyer. his an
,oye-, had begun to talk OF sending
Reddy" 10 night school One morning
le lawyer called 'Reddy- and showed n
I'm q newspaper article. saying boys os 2.
]aTceen years ard under were forbidden q
? law 10 work. n
Found Another "Reddy.s 70
Two weeks passed while "Reddy'' t-.e6 =
obtain another position. but on account al
his youthful appearance. he was un- !.
One night when his money R
"a been spent. and there was no place in
ias offered shelter from the rain. he
turned 10 the loft on the .vha-vss
hen he awoke IN the morning he sound =
lother boy called ''2eddy." CrwiIlfnr =
make al attempt 10 vrest the name -
ON the new holder o. the title. he 81
ent away. eH
a week after ''Reddy's" second sisan- ne
.srance from the FISH wharves. the papers u u
ID Of the finding OF the body OF an -
identified boy on the railroad tracks. GI
iovay between Washington and Baiti- rai
ore The article ended The body was frc
.dly mutilated. and the only mark that .-s
az lead TO Identification IS a Iuxurisnr ~
owth Of auburn hair. Railroad EMPLOYEES
-ieve the lad was stealing a ride when ID,
was killed" Jo