Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-25

city aWOke TO look out upon tne nrSL
suggestion of winter. From an old un-
tenanted, tumbledown building, which
had been condemned as unsafe for peo-
pie to live in, came q little boy of per-
haps 10 years of age. His face was
dirty, his hair uncombed and his cloth
ing thin. ragged and soiled. He raised
a pale, sad face toward the sky which
was only to be seen by looking up
ward, for the tall buildings cut off all
the armament save that directly over
head.
ugh, it's celdi' And the boy shiv-
cred and turned up his coat collar.
"Wonder what I'll do for warmer
coat this winter. But how hungry l
ami l must hurry to the newspaper
Office and ger my papers. But II busi-
ness is as bad today as IT vas yester-
day there'll be little to eat on. Gee, but
rye had a hard time since my dear
mother died and my father was taken
to the hospital all cut up by street
car! 1t is a year now since dear moth
er was looked away from us, and over
a month since poor old father was hurt
so that he'll probably die. Let's see
today's visitors day at the hospital. l
can go and see him between and
o'clock this afternoon. Well, must
get to selling papers, or I'll not eat this
morning"
So saying, the little boy, whose name
was Neddie Smith, hurried off lown the
street, which was being rapidly. f1lied
: with pedestrians, all of them sfiver-
ing, hurrying, misunderstanding beings,
out early in quest of work. 1t was yet
too early for the regularly employed. TO
he out But soon the better-to do class
began to mix with their wretched
brothers and sisters, and the day ad-
vanced rapidly.
Neddie Smith got his bundle OF pa
pers counted out to him, and with MS
small stock In trade tucked under his
arm he went down the street crying his
wares: "Ffrst edition, papers! papers!
all about the horrible train wreck-pa-
pers! first edition, papers"
Neddie had not long been a street
newsboy AS You have learned from
his morning soliloquy, his mother was
dead and his father seriously injured
and living in a hospital. Before these
dire calamities had happened In Ned
dies life his home had been clean ana
wholesome one, though very poor. lilS
father had been a factory worker anu
his mother a plain seamstress, SEWING
combined Incomes of the parents mere
ly met their living expenses, notniils
beine saved for that ''rainy day which
now noured as a deluge on the head Oh
the helpless but hopeful Neddie;
After his mothers death Nsddie ana
his father had kept the little three
room fat. and Neddie had continued 10
attend school But home without
mother was a sad and barren one, IN
deed and the place SOON became un-
lrent and dirty, in spite of Neddie
afforts to sslSeep II as his dear motner
had DONE" And his father was TOO
tired at evening time to lend hand az
tidying up the place. He managea 70
r1renare meals for his boy and himseil'
hut other tasks were left to the untu-
tored little Neddie.
Ana then happened the most ter
rible thing. Neddie's father wnlle cross
ing a crowded street was knocked down
by a passing street car and SO padiy
injured that now his lire was oispaiISu
nf soon after this terrible accident the
landlord of their little fiat seized the
furniture Torrent and Neddie FOUND
himself on the street parentless, pen
niless and homeless.
AT first Neddie, heart-heavy, was
dazed. Which way to turn, what 10
do to sustain life, he did not KNOW.
He wandered about the streets the hrst
dav of his homelessness, his mind and
heart 80 full Of his poor injured father
that he forgot he had nothing to eat
and nowhere to sleep or shelter him.
self from the night. ;,
But at last tired out nature asserted
itself. AS the darkness fell Neddie's
weary limbs. gave out and hunger
cried ALOUD within him. He had no
blood relatives to whom he might ap-
ply for immediate help. He was too
proud to go to strangers who would
doubtless call him a beggar. So he
hunted about for some place where he
might creep for the night. On the NOR
row he would hunt for work. BY
chance he found the old tumble
down tenement house that had been
condemned and which stood silent
empty. waiting it's final destruction at
the hands of hired despoilers. into this
abode the child crept and slept on the
bare floor. And here he slept each
night for a whole month. earning a
few cents each day selling papers The
money went for food-food of the worst
kind. At the bakers Neddie would
buy cheap sweet cakes, and from a
street vender he would buy "holSy-
poky" and pickles. so you will not
wonder that soon the child became pale
and weak, feeling each night as he lay
down to sleep on the cold floor of the
silent tenement house that nothing