The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-07-11
New Site Prepared for
Home for Tulsa
Boys.
ADMISSION IS LIMITED
To Start Boys Off Right
Whose Environment Has
Been Wrong.
ny HARVEY u. RHODES.


correctly termed a stray on the lace
OF the earth.
when he crawled listlessly out OF
an empty box car hespresontcd pit
iful picture of ablodt boyhood. Ho
had eaten nothing for rs hours. his
eyes were bloodshot and sunken; his
uncombod aud matted hair vas par
TALLY covered by the remains OF n
dilapidAted felt hat; his face and
hands--his entire body for that mat
ter--wcre covered with dirt.
His clothes--if they could right
fully be- designated under that head
ing-wore tattered and torn 10 the
point OF extreme rnggedncss. a coat
several sizes too large hung from his
slender shoulders. his shiyt was one
that had probably been dhcardod by
some Mexican section hand his
trousers were ripped until there was
barely enough whole fabric TO hold
them in shape. They were support
ed around his waist by length Of
small rope, tiod In front with bun
glesome knot
His stockings--well. thore were
not enough of them To describe. His
shoes were worn TO the uppors. and
the uppors wero worn TO the soies
Thoy we're laced with narrow strips
of dirty white rags.
There you have n picture of John
ny. without attempt at exaggcrauon,
Just as he appeared.
AS soon as he Jumped TO the
ground In the Frisco railroad yards.
the pangs OF hunger In Johnny'R
young stomach became more acute.
lie wan,ed--and necded--something
10 eat Something that would stick
to his bony ribs He comprcheuded
that he could steal and thus satisfy
tho craving, but his conscience and
his experience told him that was not
right he had tried 1t once In Kan
sas city. only to 10 arrested and
later released because of his age and
his appearance,
SO he startcA down Boston avo-
nue., He did not know II was Bos-
ton avenue. II made no difference
TO him what street It might he. Sure
ly. II he went to tho end OF It. he
would eventually find n means OF
appeasing his hunger Someone
might give him n dime or a quarter.
As a last resort he could 20 to the
back door of some residence and ask
for n "handout."
As Johnny wandered aimIessly on
his way. gazing nt tempting displays
In delicatessen windows and on fruit
counters, he brushed rather heavily
against pedestrian. Tho boy
glanced up quickly. expecting 10 he
severely rcprimandcd and possibly
showed roughly TO one side. But he
wasn't.
walt a minute. sonny" said tho
stranger, stopping.
Johnny was not accustomed to the
appellatlon sonny as applied to
himself. He was moro accustomed
To tho designation damn brat"
He stopped. The mans voice
sounded kindly. Perhaps he would
give him the quarter he had half ex-
pected, johnny was carefully CON
Quoted to the edge OF the sidewalk
and asked few questions about
himself, His replies were given
guardcdly and reluctantly.
Five minutes later he was inside
an office. on the door OF which was a
sign reading: Wv r. Stahl. Insur.
ance." The stranger who had met
Johnny was Mr.. Stnhl whose voca.
tion In Insurance. but whose hobby Is
the Tulsa Boys homo
tie had oa.icd off an important
business engagement when he met
Johnny They sat down in the otfico
" "l0'hHS ~ SITUATION tnht mostly
concerned .the boys welfare. Johnny
embarrassed and shy, held his
crunpled hat between nervous
hands.
How would you like to have a
home and mother aud something
w eat three times a day and some
decent clothes. and possibly a good
toh?" Stahl asked, after fow pre-
liminarlcs.
Johnny. touched by tho "hir
'rother" talk. broke down and cried
lie now knew Stnhl for lls fiend.
Fig tears rolled down his checks
and wore wincd away by an over.
cized coat sleeve.
For Johnny was not an inherent
" Ind hov, despitc his appearance.
He had been thrown With low
riindHd associates. ne had learned
IN" language OF the street. he could
curse lik" Texas ranger. Under
his hovishlv-rough exterior was a
desire 90 change hts way Of living
Hc vented 20 Do rivht nut n aremcd
NAT no ono wanted 20 hH hn'N we'd
with n down and out kid like him.
one who presented y haif-ropulsivc
annearancc. ana whose manners
would not admit him to polite
society.
Hc knew nothing ~ his parentage
Wis infancy had hocn spont IN n
foundlinE aSvlum. along with dozens
~ other bows and girls Whenever
J." aokod authorities m tho institu-
tion about his pRrcnts1gc. they were
painfully ignorant The truth had
never dawncd on .fohunv
No tcndor mother hnd ever care
f,tilv tucked him in he'd ana iiFtened
white he said his good might prayers
He knew that much 80 fathe.' had
ever given him Nickcls with which
to huy ico cream cones
" ort wanted Tlnpt him Men
md women had visited tho asylum
almost dailv--and IN dav or tive
he would miss one of his playmates
But he remained there.
when he was I wears old he rar
away Hc wondered tho streets n
an eastern citv dow ana NIGHT he
coming hnngrier each d1v. Then h,
leaSned to call NJ the hack door
nf homes and ask FOR something Il
eat
Snon atferward, he took box ca
pass" for 'he west, AFTER lonely dav
nnd leneiier nights mnny NJ whicl
were oatiess. he landed I'm Karsa
City. Living conditions thcrc wer
~ n