The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1909-10-14

OIlLL w ALIEN
his salary depends entirely on his mer-
its as hustler. If he wishes to at
tend ball game he does not have to
stall his grandmother died." but if he
is struggling to boom corner lie does
not attend many games.
There is no other field of labor, in my
estimation, that requires one to be out
in all sorts and conditions of weather.
not even the railroadman's. / will tell
you of an incident that happened not
many years ago among some newsboys.
In this city where I was a newsboy
there never was what one could call
real Newsboys' Home, but place
called Newsboys' and Bootblacks' Char
ity Organization. Where the charity
part came in no one could see, for one
was compelled to pay his weekly board
in advance. Again, this supposed home
never sheltered more than five or six
real newsboys at time, though it was
crowded to its full capacity most of the
time with working boys. There was
day set aside each year and designated
as Newsboys' Donation Day. On this
day many of the lady members Of the
organization would take up snds in
all the leading hotels, Office buildings,
banks and department stores and sell
papers, the proceeds to go to the News
boys Home. 1t was poor Donation
Day that did not bring the sum we'll up
into four figures. Where this money
went we could never see. So we con-
suited our friend, prominent lawyer,
who told us we could have the word
"NewsbOys'" stricken from the Sign by
going to court. To make it as short as
possible, the case never reached the
court, for the organization knew we
were right and consented to eliminate
the words Newsboys' and Bootblacks'
from their sign. We then formed a
union with the help of few newspa-
per owners, which today is quite strong
and the time is not far distant when
they will have what promises to be one
of the finest homes in the country.
Their smokers, dances and picnics are
always big success.
There is one picnic in particular, that
amuses me very much every time ]
think of it. This affair was held at
Dunkirk, fortyfour miles from the
city of Buffalo, N. Y, on Fourth of
July. We chartered two picnic boats
for our own use. The first boat left on
schedule time and arrived at Burbank
a few hours later. We were met by the
mayor and the town band and escorted
to the grove. Among the many luxu.
ries we had there was large bari ell OF
wieners, and for convenience was the
last to be loaded on the farmers wagon
When this provision wagon reached
the grove and things were telng dis
tributed to their respective places, We
did not unload the wieners until the
water was in a condition to receive
them. When this feat was accom-
plished to the amaZement of all W,
found that half our wieners were miss
ing. We Immediately notified oul
president who in turn called meeting
but none Of the boys knew anythin,
about the wieners. A committee wa
then chosen to make thorough in
! vestigation. Being German l wa
naturally very much interested in tn
r cause. The same being known l wa
, appointed chairman of the wiener com
mittee. was so elated over the homo
. conferred upon me that l resolved t
: ferret out the mystery myself and i'm
mediately dismissed the COMMITTEES
a My first step was to interview some o
the most mischievous boys, but l wa
9 only wasting time for not one kne,
any more than I. At least they sal
!. so. followed several other clews, bu
with no better results. l was begir
y ming to think my aspirations as a Shel
! lock Holmes were about exhausted
: when happened to think of Mr.. Farm
er who drove our provision Wagon
= I wished to consult our president b,
= fore approaching the farmer. To d
this was compelled to go to the dan,
= ing pavilion and had any of you me
: been with me as 1 drew near the paw
y ion, you would have thought they wel
o whacking their brains for solutio
. of the mystery, for they were all gail
!. cred in small shooting craps
4 | did not go any closer lest distur