The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-08-29
The Newsboy
Cripple
Cheese it. fellers, cheese it! The

less escape the DluecOateQ Omclal
striding upon them, nobody thought of
poor Billy. But, with his papers I'm.
der one arm, his crutch resting be.
meath the other and an empty trous.
ers leg dangling in the breeze, Billy,
with his companions, sought self.
preservation.
D lane, for the surefooted was
none too good walking, and a treach.
erous spot found Billy in his mis-.
fortune and brought him heavily to
the ground, his papers in an untidy
pile beside him and the crutch quite
beyond his reach.
The corners of his mouth dropped
ever so little as he looked up from
his uncomfortable position and beheld
the officer towering above him.
"Well, my lad. you seem to be the
one to go along with me. All the
rest have made good to get out of the
way. I'm mighty sorry I've got to
take you-one Of the others would
have suited me better-much better.
Eut the sergeant detailed me especial.
ly to stop this crap shooting. He says
1t can't go on" !
The policeman spoke not unkindly,
but Billy, from his seat of earth,
heard, and knew that a plea for re:
lease would be wasted.
. Here's your crutch, my boy. Como
on" !!
cav, let him off, can't yer?" !
Billy and the policeman wheeled
about at this unexpected interference
from the rear. There, crawling from
beneath an empty barrel set forth by
one of the many restaurants along the
lane, his face and hair generously
streaked with q covering of flour taxi
en- on in his place Of refuge, came a.
boy not much larger than Billy HIM
self-one of the circle of former "crap
Shooters" ,
Il say, Billy amt done nothin'. He
warn't shootin' with the bunch. The
last see OF Billy he was settin,
there eatin' his handout. Weren't
you, Billy?" Billy nodded complacent-
ly. yer pinchin', innocent man,
boss; straight goods
hands deep into his pockets and broad
eniug his base, now. I'm one of the
bunch. I've got pull with the gang,
If do say it myself, and if-if-you-
could only let Billy off-'cause he
amt done nothin' anyhow-1'n use my
'ntlooence with the crowd to stop the
shootin'-after-I- the
lookup"
For an instant CLEAN of merri-
ment beamed in the officers eyes, and
it was with difficulty that he re-
strained burst of genuine laughter
But l can't do that for you; I
can't let either Of you off," he said.
at last. "You know right from wrong
and-ah, here comes the sergeant
We'll let him settle it," :.
Billy shrank closer to his champion
as he felt his own tiny atom of self
completely overshadowed by this for:
midable giant with shining buttons
and chevrons. The contact lent the
tntercessor strength for final appeal:
Sergeant, can l speak to you for
Billy? don't mind for myself, but
Billy just can't go to the lookup"
Nervously the child's fingers locked
and interlocked, but his gaze met that
of the stalwart officer of the law I'm.
flinchingly. Breathlessly, he rushed
on.
"Billy's mother is home sick in bed.
She's what you call an invalid. Some
times she can work and help out and
sometimes Billy's got to do it all him.
self cause he amt got no brothers
nor sisters, nor no father-just his
mother. So we fellers found him
good stand up in the square, but he
can't run after trade since he's lost
his leg. Some swell guy run over him
with his auto and never stopped to
say howdy or good-by, and Billy's
been up against it ever since and
and-shall tell 1t. Billy, bout slingin'
the dice?" Billy hesitated. "shall /,
Billy? It's up to you"
Billy tried to grasp the significance
Of this sudden bestowal Of responsible.
ity and bowed bewildered approval,
"Well, then, bout this game o. crap
sergeant" The boy lowered his eyes
and polzed the dirt with the toe of his
muddy boot.
"About this game Of crap-Billy'a
business hasn't been rushing lately
and so We rather planned to give him
boost with crap game noontime,
till his ma got better. Some o. the
crowd got more'n you'd think out OF
their papers and they have pocket
full left for themselves. So they put
a good bit of It up IA 2 game O crap
foF Billy 1yst e, sbpeat h e .] along @sss|
That's g., what we, was d3ip' TO-DAY. SEE
geant. but we got pinched. II yov.|
could only let Billy oe9tiI yzi IT,
..srhat VII do,smy boy THE sci,
geanfs voice was, very gentle, "You
tell the rest Of the, bpyss., they, musj
never throw DICE again never, Tell
then, to boost, BUY some other way, ]
Now, get your papers and hustle bpgt
ness 81; .,,.,s.rsoze ts;..'.'. 1 -
i