Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-14

Three years ago. one Saturday after
noon in August. the first aid team Of
my troop was practising in front OF
my home. A neighbors dog had frac-
tured his leg, and the Scouts were
banda ging the injured member. \ boy
from one of the mines came by and
stopped to observe the operation. lie
became intensely interested and
watched every turn the Scouts made
With the bapdagoa Finally the dog
was released. and the poor, dumb
brute, greatly relieved of pain, looked
up at the boys as If saying thank
YOU then hopped away on three legs
honicwarl. After the Scouts had - p
aratcd, the little mine boy walked up
TO me and asked MIR. Bowen, what
are these guys?r boy Scouts
answered. What's them?" he addsd d,
looking earnestly into my face "A
troop of boys banded together to do
acts of kindness to all kinds OF peo-
pie, and to dumb animals. They only
learn the things that are good. and
avoid everything that is bad; the
birds. the trees. the animals. and the
flowers become their friends
MIR. bowen. he interrupted, 81
want to he one OF them guys. WIN
YOU let me join" I looked at him
aud something instinctivcly told mc
that his little heart had been touched
with new vision OF life.
AN right, Joe" | answered. Come
here to my house next Wednesday.
viii let you know My duties as load
ing inspector compel me to visit ten
mines OF District /, u. l.. & W. Coal
company. and know everybody in
theec mines. from driver boys to SUPER
intendonIs. Joe Maybrick WAS Il driver
boy working at the five foot vein at
Cayusn mines. He was beautiful
boy. With large black eyes and curly
hair OF the sam color. made some
inquiries about him, and found that
HIS father was a heavy drinker. who
sadly abused his mother. The family
lived In abjcct poverty at Hrisbin
Patch-a group OF company houses"
near the mines OF that name. The
father John Muybrick. sp>ut the big
ger part OF his own and the boys
wages at Mike IIor,n's saloon. down
at tho lower corner OF the street Joe
Nss compelled TO carry the beer for
his father from the saloon TO the
home. | found also that Joe had never
been 10 church. had never been chris
tened. that he could 'cuss" Ike q
trooper. smoke cignrsttcs like a ficnd,
fight like "A dog. sw i'm like fish. climb
like r squirrel, run like a deer and
work hard AL day in the mines.
wcdp, sday evening came: SO did Joc.
the wuy--burefootcd. barohcided.
with "a baseball Int in his haud. told
him to come In aud sit on chair 10y
my aide.
Joe | said TO him. you want to
be Boy SCOUT
Yep" he snapped.
'Do YOU know what that means:
You mns't stop carrying bc for your
dad. ,uu must stop srnoking cigar
cttcs. YOU must stop s"cus-ing. you
must he manly and braNe-n true
American"
told him to come to our hcadauar-
tcrs tho following night. ON the fol-
lowing ,y ring I kept Joe by my side;
wntchrd him closely. Not one word
came from hir lips. but the struggle
within was tcmpcst of mixed emo
tions. and all We're reflected plainly on
his fac. The meeting closed and all
the scouts went home. Well. Joe bc-
came a member of the Troop. he was
one Of the quickest boys to learn
cvsr knew. In s!N months. nc became
a second clsss Scout; IN one year
first cihsr Scout. IN Two years II life
and star Scout. In the meantime he
had b.comc q member OF the Welsh
Congre ga tipnal church, also member
Of my Sunda, school class. He man
aged to work a change in his father
who Is now one OF tho best church
members In town. He took "a two-ycar
course to educate himself at .he Y. NJ
c. A. lie excelicd all others in the
Scout examinations.
The following are some of his ex-
plois: Swan across Lake WinoIa. won
n thrcc-mile marathon race. climbed
n pine tree seventy-fivc feet high.
feet first. took hike test. twcnty-four
miles Scranton to Tobyhunna; made
collection of all the flowers of Lack
awanna county. made collection OF
bark of all trees of Lackawanna
county: wrote shor; essay on the habits
OF birds OF acknwanna county; wrote
short cssay on animals OF Lackawanna